MOSCOW, March 3. /TASS/. It is important not only to develop the common economic space of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, but also to step up cooperation in the framework of the Union State of Russia and Belarus, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday. The Union State represents a more advanced stage of integration, Putin noted.

"This time, we gathered to discuss one of the key issues of our cooperation - the development of the Union State, and much has been done in this respect over the last years," Putin said at talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko.

"One does not substitute for another, if we are talking about creating a common market together with Kazakhstan, Belarus and Russia, creating common economic space," the president added. "In the framework of the Union State, there are certain issues and tasks that we tackle, and in this sense, it [the Union State] is in some way more advanced, especially if we look at social issues and how we solve them in the interests of our citizens," Putin stressed.

Lukashenko noted that the economic union of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan has expanded thanks to Kyrgyzstan and Armenia. "Today, we have an opportunity to formalize all our discussions, negotiations and take concrete decisions. The time is not easy, not easy for the whole world, and it requires action," the Belarusian leader stressed.