Belarusian President sets $1bn target for trade with Russia’s Bryansk Oblast
20.10.2026
MINSK (
BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko set the goal of increasing the volume of mutual trade with Russia’s Bryansk Oblast as he met with Governor of that Russian region Yegor Kovalchuk in Minsk on 20 October, BelTA has learned.
“We once planned to develop our foundation – economic relations. We have come close to $1 billion, but we have not cleared that mark. We must set the task of breaking $1 billion in trade come what may,” the Belarusian leader said.
The president identified key areas for developing bilateral interaction. These include, in particular, agriculture, industry, the humanitarian sector and construction.
“I would like us to move from one-off construction projects to turnkey construction. A micro-district: once we plan it, let’s build it. If you like it, we are ready to develop construction further along these lines,” the head of state said on cooperation in the construction sector, to which considerable attention is now devoted in Russia.
Aleksandr Lukashenko also offered assistance in implementing the Bryansk Oblast gas supply program, especially since the necessary expertise is available. “We in Belarus are also working on this, but we have spare capacity. You know that we can always lend you a shoulder to provide gas networks to Bryansk Oblast,” he said.
One of the important areas the president drew attention to is industrial cooperation. There are already good examples, including a grain harvester developed jointly.
“It is very important for us here to avoid unnecessary competition, where we duplicate production facilities that you or we already have. It is better to join forces and act in this direction. That is where we will get the greatest result, especially now,” the Belarusian leader stressed.
Separately, the president mentioned the capabilities of Belarusian industry in producing passenger transport and its readiness to supply such vehicles to Bryansk Oblast.
As for the agro-industrial complex, cooperation here is already established, Aleksandr Lukashenko said. There are certain areas where Bryansk Oblast’s experience is of interest to Belarus, in particular, the expertise and organization of work at the Miratorg company. The president noted a readiness to work together, including on feed production. “If you need grain processing or feed preparation, know that our BNBC [Belarusian National Biotechnology Corporation] is operating, and compound feed production as a first stage is very well established. If you need it, we will do everything necessary to give you direct assistance and support in this,” the head of state assured.
In addition, the president proposed establishing cooperation in seed breeding. Given the similarity of climatic conditions in Belarus and Bryansk Oblast, specialists from both sides can work together on developing seed varieties for agriculture.
Aleksandr Lukashenko also stressed his interest in organizing health treatment and holidays for children from Bryansk Oblast. “If there is something you like in Belarus and you would like to give your children a health break, we are always open to this humanitarian cooperation,” he said.
Taking the opportunity, the president congratulated Yegor Kovalchuk on his recent convincing victory in the election as head of Bryansk Oblast, a region of Russia that is far from simple, but very close to Belarusians.
“You should know our position on this: you don’t choose your neighbors, they are given by God. We have a good neighbor in Bryansk Oblast, just like Pskov Oblast and Smolensk Oblast,” the Belarusian leader said. “God determined that we should live together. We will do everything to make our neighborhood benefit both you and us. All the more so since the foundation is there – our roots are the same.” Speaking of historical commonality, the head of state mentioned the Great Patriotic War, in which many peoples fought shoulder to shoulder. Among them, for example, was Yegor Kovalchuk’s grandfather. “Your grandfather fought in the Great Patriotic War, like all Belarusian patriots. And they were not just the overwhelming majority - almost all of them fought for the independence of our lands. And back then we did not divide things up, saying that we were from Gomel and you were from Bryansk Oblast… It was our common land, and I would like at least in our minds for it to be so now as well - that this is our common property and we must do everything to make things good both for you and in Belarus,” the president stressed.
Aleksandr Lukashenko also recalled the times after the collapse of the Soviet Union, when everyone found things hard, but he always found a way to support neighboring regions. “It was very hard for us. Nevertheless, I always said: if the governors of Bryansk Oblast, Smolensk Oblast or Pskov Oblast ask for help and support, send all the harvesters there [after the completion of the harvest in Belarusian farms]. That is what we did, we did it, we never divided anything,” he noted.
“We always lived normally, lived together… The best things in Bryansk Oblast come from Belarus. The best things in Belarus come from Bryansk Oblast. And from Smolensk Oblast and Pskov Oblast, of course. These are people close to us,” the head of state stressed. “We are ready to cooperate with you in whatever way you wish. And everything we can do today for Russia (and we do a great deal, sometimes without publicity, without shouting about it), we are ready above all to do for you.”
Yegor Kovalchuk supported the proposal to increase trade. He also expressed interest in the presence of Belarusian business and economic entities in Bryansk Oblast. “Above all in cooperation in mechanical engineering. Construction projects, as you quite rightly noted. There is demand for this. And there are good examples of implementation. I am confident that both housing construction and the construction of social facilities will continue. We already note the quality and very high results of Belarusian builders’ work,” the governor said.
He thanked the president of Belarus for his support and noted that he always comes to Belarus with great pleasure and each time notes further development and positive changes: “The country is developing very actively. Each time I see some positive changes. And Minsk itself impresses as a capital and a city where a huge amount of expertise is concentrated. I am sure, Aleksandr Grigoryevich [Lukashenko], that this is above all your merit, and undoubtedly that of the entire Belarusian people.”
“You have absolutely rightly identified our main, fundamental subjects for cooperation. Above all, this is good-unneighborly economic cooperation. There are indeed examples. I can assure you that they [areas of cooperation] will receive full support and will be developed further,” Yegor Kovalchuk added.
Trade between Belarus and Bryansk Oblast has consistently exceeded $800 million since 2021, and in some years $900 million, coming right up to $1 billion. In January–August 2026, it amounted to more than $582 million, 11 % more than in the same period last year. The balance is positive for Belarus – more than $387 million (up 13 %). The basis of Belarusian exports is agricultural machinery and mechanisms, petroleum products, milk and cream, mineral fertilizers, cheeses and cottage cheese, coke and bitumen.
“We once planned to develop our foundation – economic relations. We have come close to $1 billion, but we have not cleared that mark. We must set the task of breaking $1 billion in trade come what may,” the Belarusian leader said.
The president identified key areas for developing bilateral interaction. These include, in particular, agriculture, industry, the humanitarian sector and construction.
“I would like us to move from one-off construction projects to turnkey construction. A micro-district: once we plan it, let’s build it. If you like it, we are ready to develop construction further along these lines,” the head of state said on cooperation in the construction sector, to which considerable attention is now devoted in Russia.
Aleksandr Lukashenko also offered assistance in implementing the Bryansk Oblast gas supply program, especially since the necessary expertise is available. “We in Belarus are also working on this, but we have spare capacity. You know that we can always lend you a shoulder to provide gas networks to Bryansk Oblast,” he said.
One of the important areas the president drew attention to is industrial cooperation. There are already good examples, including a grain harvester developed jointly.
“It is very important for us here to avoid unnecessary competition, where we duplicate production facilities that you or we already have. It is better to join forces and act in this direction. That is where we will get the greatest result, especially now,” the Belarusian leader stressed.
Separately, the president mentioned the capabilities of Belarusian industry in producing passenger transport and its readiness to supply such vehicles to Bryansk Oblast.
As for the agro-industrial complex, cooperation here is already established, Aleksandr Lukashenko said. There are certain areas where Bryansk Oblast’s experience is of interest to Belarus, in particular, the expertise and organization of work at the Miratorg company. The president noted a readiness to work together, including on feed production. “If you need grain processing or feed preparation, know that our BNBC [Belarusian National Biotechnology Corporation] is operating, and compound feed production as a first stage is very well established. If you need it, we will do everything necessary to give you direct assistance and support in this,” the head of state assured.
In addition, the president proposed establishing cooperation in seed breeding. Given the similarity of climatic conditions in Belarus and Bryansk Oblast, specialists from both sides can work together on developing seed varieties for agriculture.
Aleksandr Lukashenko also stressed his interest in organizing health treatment and holidays for children from Bryansk Oblast. “If there is something you like in Belarus and you would like to give your children a health break, we are always open to this humanitarian cooperation,” he said.
Taking the opportunity, the president congratulated Yegor Kovalchuk on his recent convincing victory in the election as head of Bryansk Oblast, a region of Russia that is far from simple, but very close to Belarusians.
“You should know our position on this: you don’t choose your neighbors, they are given by God. We have a good neighbor in Bryansk Oblast, just like Pskov Oblast and Smolensk Oblast,” the Belarusian leader said. “God determined that we should live together. We will do everything to make our neighborhood benefit both you and us. All the more so since the foundation is there – our roots are the same.” Speaking of historical commonality, the head of state mentioned the Great Patriotic War, in which many peoples fought shoulder to shoulder. Among them, for example, was Yegor Kovalchuk’s grandfather. “Your grandfather fought in the Great Patriotic War, like all Belarusian patriots. And they were not just the overwhelming majority - almost all of them fought for the independence of our lands. And back then we did not divide things up, saying that we were from Gomel and you were from Bryansk Oblast… It was our common land, and I would like at least in our minds for it to be so now as well - that this is our common property and we must do everything to make things good both for you and in Belarus,” the president stressed.
Aleksandr Lukashenko also recalled the times after the collapse of the Soviet Union, when everyone found things hard, but he always found a way to support neighboring regions. “It was very hard for us. Nevertheless, I always said: if the governors of Bryansk Oblast, Smolensk Oblast or Pskov Oblast ask for help and support, send all the harvesters there [after the completion of the harvest in Belarusian farms]. That is what we did, we did it, we never divided anything,” he noted.
“We always lived normally, lived together… The best things in Bryansk Oblast come from Belarus. The best things in Belarus come from Bryansk Oblast. And from Smolensk Oblast and Pskov Oblast, of course. These are people close to us,” the head of state stressed. “We are ready to cooperate with you in whatever way you wish. And everything we can do today for Russia (and we do a great deal, sometimes without publicity, without shouting about it), we are ready above all to do for you.”
Yegor Kovalchuk supported the proposal to increase trade. He also expressed interest in the presence of Belarusian business and economic entities in Bryansk Oblast. “Above all in cooperation in mechanical engineering. Construction projects, as you quite rightly noted. There is demand for this. And there are good examples of implementation. I am confident that both housing construction and the construction of social facilities will continue. We already note the quality and very high results of Belarusian builders’ work,” the governor said.
He thanked the president of Belarus for his support and noted that he always comes to Belarus with great pleasure and each time notes further development and positive changes: “The country is developing very actively. Each time I see some positive changes. And Minsk itself impresses as a capital and a city where a huge amount of expertise is concentrated. I am sure, Aleksandr Grigoryevich [Lukashenko], that this is above all your merit, and undoubtedly that of the entire Belarusian people.”
“You have absolutely rightly identified our main, fundamental subjects for cooperation. Above all, this is good-unneighborly economic cooperation. There are indeed examples. I can assure you that they [areas of cooperation] will receive full support and will be developed further,” Yegor Kovalchuk added.
Trade between Belarus and Bryansk Oblast has consistently exceeded $800 million since 2021, and in some years $900 million, coming right up to $1 billion. In January–August 2026, it amounted to more than $582 million, 11 % more than in the same period last year. The balance is positive for Belarus – more than $387 million (up 13 %). The basis of Belarusian exports is agricultural machinery and mechanisms, petroleum products, milk and cream, mineral fertilizers, cheeses and cottage cheese, coke and bitumen.