On April 2, 1996, the Agreement on the Creation of the Community of Belarus and Russia was signed, according to which it was decided to create a politically and economically integrated community in order to unite the material and intellectual potential of the two states. The document was signed in Moscow by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and President of Russia Boris Yeltsin. A year later, on April 2, 1997, in Moscow, the Presidents of Belarus and Russia signed an Agreement on the Union of Belarus and Russia. Since then, April 2 has been celebrated as the Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia.
Currently, in accordance with the Treaty on the Establishment of the Union State, the Supreme State Council, the Council of Ministers and the Standing Committee of the Union State have been formed and are functioning. The functions of the Parliament of the Union State are performed by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia. The supreme body of the Union State is the Supreme State Council (VGS). It consists of heads of State, heads of Government, heads of chambers of parliaments of the participating States. The HCV resolves the most important issues of the development of the Union State, forms governing bodies, approves the budget and international treaties, and performs other functions.
The main goals of the creation of the Union were the desire to raise the standard of living of the peoples, strengthen the relations of brotherhood, friendship and cooperation between Belarus and Russia in political, economic, social and other fields. One of the main and most successful activities of the Union State is the implementation of a coordinated foreign policy of Belarus and Russia. The Republic of Belarus is the most consistent and reliable foreign policy ally of the Russian Federation. In turn, the Russian Federation consistently supports at all levels and in all international organizations and consistently defends the independent domestic and foreign policy position of the Republic of Belarus.