During a working visit to Belarus, Igor Dodon, President of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM), met today in Minsk with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, TRIBUNA reports.

In the discussions, Igor Dodon highlighted the traditionally friendly relations between the Republic of Moldova and Belarus, noting that both during his presidential mandate and in previous years, bilateral cooperation in the economic, political, and cultural fields had been exemplary. He also recalled the support Belarus has provided to Moldova over time, including significant donations of equipment.

Dodon praised Belarus’s policies in defending national interests and remarked that, according to opinion polls, President Aleksandr Lukashenko enjoys a high level of trust and respect among Moldovan citizens.

The PSRM leader also emphasized Belarus’s ability to maintain diplomatic balance in a complicated regional context and to consistently promote the interests of its citizens — an experience he believes could serve as an example for Moldova’s political class.

Igor Dodon expressed regret over the deterioration of Moldova–Belarus relations in recent years, criticizing the current PAS government’s decision to block, for the first time in 35 years of independence, the creation of interparliamentary friendship groups with Belarus.

He also drew attention to the significant decline in bilateral trade, which, according to him, fell from approximately 250–260 million USD annually in 2017–2018 to around 130 million USD today. Dodon attributed this situation to the policies of the current government in Chișinău and its alignment with Western sanctions.

In conclusion, Igor Dodon expressed confidence that the friendly relations and cooperation between the Republic of Moldova and Belarus will eventually return to the level expected by the citizens of both countries.