Putin presented Lukashenko with Order of St. Andrew the Apostle the First-Called
On October 9th, Russian President Vladimir Putin conferred the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle the First-Called – Russia’s highest state award – on Aleksandr Lukashenko in the St. Andrew Hall of the Kremlin. The President of Belarus, Chairman of the Supreme State Council of the Union State, has been honoured for outstanding achievements in developing the allied relations and strategic partnership between Russia and Belarus, for strengthening friendly ties between the Russian and Belarusian peoples, as well as for his great personal contribution to creating the Union State and ensuring its effective operation.
Presenting the order, Vladimir Putin noted, “According to the statute of this order, it is conferred on prominent Russian statesmen and foreign leaders for exceptional services in strengthening ties with our country. You, dear Aleksandr Grigoryevich, certainly deserve this highest award. Presenting you with the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle the First-Called reflects Russia’s appreciation for your outstanding contribution to the development of Belarus-Russia allied relations and strategic partnership. These relations are based on the unshakable principles of friendship and good neighbourliness, mutual respect and consideration of each other’s interests. Of course, we have a shared history, common moral and spiritual values, strong family and kinship ties between many Russians and Belarusians. It is on such a solid basis that Russia and Belarus are building their Union State, reliably ensuring common defence and security, while also creating a single economic, legal, and humanitarian space.”
Vladimir Putin drew attention to the fact that Aleksandr Lukashenko stood at the origins of the Union State creation and makes a significant contribution to its strengthening and development.
“We know you as a consistent and committed supporter of maintaining and expanding close ties throughout the CIS. With your active participation, mutually beneficial co-operation is developing within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the CSTO. Now – from the moment when Belarus became a SCO member – this also applies to this organisation. I sincerely appreciate our good personal relations that we have developed over many years of working together. I’m confident that through joint efforts we will continue to develop Russian-Belarusian co-operation, further strengthen mutually beneficial economic liaisons, and reliably protect the security of the two countries and our Union State.”
