Belarus is Russia's major CIS partner

Belarus is the most active of all the members of the Commonwealth of Independent States in terms of economic contacts with Russia. Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan account for 90% of Russia's trade turnover with the CIS countries. The figures were cited at the 7th Russian Economic Forum.

A positive breakthrough of a kind in Russia's economic relations with the CIS member countries occurred in 2000-2001. In 2001, its trade turnover with Armenia went up by 77%, with Georgia by 19%, Kazakhstan 6%, and Uzbekistan and Ukraine by 5% each.

Energy resources - petroleum, petroproducts, natural gas, coal and fuel oil - form the basis of Russia's exports to the Commonwealth. The mineral products make up half of the cost of Russia's overall CIS exports.

Among other Russian exports to the Commonwealth are automobiles and equipment, which make more than 18% of the overall export cost, chemical products - over 10%, metals and precious stones - 10%.