(Read the full article on total.kz)

The Russian President stressed that integration will help the development of the economy and competitiveness.

A union state with Belarus represents a certain level of integration with full preservation of sovereignty, not a state. Russian President Vladimir Putin said this on the air of the channel “Russia 24”, TOTAL.KZ reported.

The day after the publication of the article on Ukraine, Putin gave extended comments on the meaning and purpose of writing the material.

“Belarus and I say “union state”, but in the literal sense of the word it is not a state, it is just a certain level of integration. If we compare it with the European Union, then there is a deeper level of integration than within the framework of the Union State with Belarus. And with full preservation of sovereignty,” Putin said.

This form of integration makes life easier for people, provides certain conditions for the development of the economy, and also leads to an increase in overall competitiveness, the Russian leader concluded.

Earlier, an article by Vladimir Putin about the historical unity of the peoples of Russia and Ukraine was published.

Putin said that the article he wrote is dedicated to the residents of both Russia and Ukraine, as well as to the sponsors of the political leadership of today’s Ukraine.