Union Day of Belarus and Russia 2023: Date, History, Facts about Belarus

Union Day of Belarus and Russia is celebrated annually on April 2 primarily in Belarus. It commemorates the agreement signed on April 2, 1996, in Moscow by the presidents of Russia and Belarus, Boris Yeltsin and Alexander Lukashenko. The “Agreement on the Union of Belarus and Russia” enhanced both countries’ integration and strengthened their resolve to provide mutual support. It resulted in the formation of the “Union State of Russia and Belarus,” a supranational organisation intended to strengthen ties between Russia and Belarus by incorporating their economic and military policies.

The background of Union Day of Belarus and Russia

On April 2, 1996, the Community of Belarus and Russia was established. The signature of the “Treaty on the Union between Russia and Belarus” strengthened the relationship between the two countries. On April 2, 1997, the treaty led to the formation of the “Union of Belarus and Russia,” and on December 25, 1998, a number of agreements led to a deeper political, economic, and social integration.

Regardless, the political entity’s essence remained obscure. Pressured by his political opponents, who argued for a reunification of the two states, and by Lukashenko, who desired to link his weak economy to Russia’s stronger economy, Yeltsin resolved to establish the Union in order to reduce the political and economic disparities between the two countries. Some believe Lukashenko intended to succeed Yeltsin as president of a future Russia-Belarus federation. However, after he resigned in 2000, Vladimir Putin was elected to succeed him as president of Russia; Lukashenko had to abandon his plans to maintain an equilibrium between the independence of Belarus and Putin’s increasing pressure for further integration of the two nations into the Union State.

The “Treaty on the Creation of a Union State of Russia and Belarus” was signed on December 8, 1999, with the intention of creating a federation similar to the Soviet Union, with one head of state, legislature, flag, coat of arms, anthem, constitution, army, citizenship, and currency. On December 22, 1999 and January 26, 2000, respectively, the Russian State Duma and the National Assembly of Belarus ratified the Union. The Union and the Treaty entered into force on the same day.

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5 essential facts about Belarus

Since 1994, Lukashenko has been the sole president; he is Europe’s longest-serving leader.

The literal translation of Belarus’s appellation is ‘white Russia.’ They have the death penalty.

Belarus is the only European nation with an official death penalty.

Forests cover roughly half of the nation; Minsk alone has over 844,000 trees.

In Belarus, the Biaowiea Forest is home to 800 European bison.

UNION DAY OF BELARUS AND RUSSIA DATES

Year	Date	Day
2023	April 2	Sunday
2024	April 2	Tuesday
2025	April 2	Wednesday
2026	April 2	Thursday
2027	April 2	Friday