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( Union of Russia and Belarus)
The Union of Russia and Belarus (Russian ???? ?????? ? ?????????? [???] Soyuz Rossii i Byelorussii [SRB]), also known as the United State of Russia and Belarus (??????? ??????????? ?????? ? ?????????? [????] Soyuznoye gosudarstvo Rossii i Belorussii [SGRB]), is a supranational entity consisting of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. Originally, the "Community of Russia and Belarus" was formed on April 2, 1996. The basis of the union was strengthened on April 2, 1997, at which time its name was changed to the Union of Russia and Belarus. On December 25, 1998, with the signature of several agreements intending to provide greater political, economic, and social integration, the union was strengthened further. In reality, however, the Union may be considered as a confederation. The creation of the Union was initiated by former Russian President Boris Yeltsin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, in order to harmonize the political and economic differences between the two nations. In 1994, a similar proposal by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev was put forward with the intention of founding a "Eurasian Union." However, this was never adopted. The Treaty of Creation for the United State of Russia and Belarus was signed on December 8, 1999. The intention was to eventually achieve a federation like the Soviet Union; with a common president, parliament, flag, coat of arms, anthem, constitution, army, citizenship, currency, etc.[citation needed] The Treaty on the Formation of a Union State has established the following institutions
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