April 2 — Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia

31.03.2023

Every year on April 2, the Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia is celebrated. This very day in 1996 presidents of the two states signed the treaty "On the formation of the Community of Russia and Belarus". The signing marked the beginning of the process of mutual integration of the countries.

Exactly one year later, the Treaty on the Union of Belarus and Russia was signed. The main goals of the Union's creation were to increase the standard of living of peoples, to strengthen the brotherhood, friendship and cooperation relations in political, economic, social and other spheres, to provide sustainable social and economic development of the participating states by joining their material and intellectual potentials.

The next important stage in the development of the two countries' union relations was the signing on December 25, 1998 of the Declaration on Further Unity of Belarus and Russia, the Treaty on Equal Rights of Citizens, the Agreement on Creating Equal Conditions for Economic Entities and the Protocol to it. In these documents, the presidents of the two countries firmly declared their determination to continue the step-by-step movement toward voluntary unification into the Union State, while preserving the national sovereignty of the Union State member states. At the same time, the main directions of integration work in the economic and social spheres were defined.

On December 8, 1999 the Treaty on the Creation of the Union State and the Programme of Actions of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation on the Implementation of the Treaty on the Creation of the Union State were signed. The Treaty on the Creation of the Union State of Belarus and Russia came into force after the heads of the states exchanged ratification instruments on January 26, 2000.

Over the past time the Union State project has proven its relevance and viability. Conditions have been created within the Union State to ensure equal civil rights, a joint defense policy, coordinated foreign policy cooperation, and implementation of large-scale economic, scientific and technical processes.

The successful experience of interaction within the Union State has contributed to the deepening of integration processes in the CIS space.

Festive events dedicated to the Day of Unity of the Peoples will be held on April 2 in many Belarusian and Russian cities.