Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko continues a series of meetings with heads of Russian regions. A big delegation of the Republic of Tuva led by the region's head Vladislav Khovalyg has arrived in Minsk on its first visit, BelTA has learned.

“This is a historic day, because you have come to Minsk for the first time,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said welcoming the head of the Russian region. “I am convinced that your visit will become a landmark event opening up new cooperation opportunities in the name of our brotherly nations. I really hope so.”

The Republic of Tuva is located in the geographical center of Asia, in the south of Eastern Siberia, and is part of the Siberian Federal District of Russia. The territory of the republic is comparable to that of Belarus – 170,500 square kilometers (Belarus has an area of 207,000 square kilometers). Yet, the Russian region has a much smaller population of 330,400 people.

Given the low population density of the Russian region and considerable distance between Tuva and Belarus (about 5,000 km), the trade between Belarus and the Republic of Tuva is still pretty small. In 2020, it amounted to about $275,000, in January-November 2021 - $47,500. The mutual trade is dominated by Belarusian exports, with Tuva supplying a very small amount of goods to Belarus.

Written by belta.by