Russia-Belarus Relationship

Russian, Belarusian PMs to discuss integration roadmaps in Moscow on November 19

Belarus is looking for alternatives to Russian oil and new routes for transporting raw materials to its own refineries.

“We are considering the possibility of supplying raw materials from the CIS countries, the Middle East, and Africa to our refineries both through Ukrainian ports and through the ports of the Baltic states, ” Svetlana Gurina, deputy chairman of the Belneftekhim concern , said in an interview with the Belarusian publication.

According to her, this decision is motivated by the next stage of the tax maneuver in Russia, which is "one of the risks of competitiveness of Belarusian refineries)."

“The losses from the tax maneuver for the Belarusian economy over the nine months of this year amounted to about $ 250 million,” Gurina said.

For this reason, Belarus is exploring alternative channels for the supply of raw materials to oil refineries, and, according to Gurina, in the current conditions the attractiveness of routes through the ports of Ukraine and the Baltic countries will increase.

Earlier, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko also said that the republic was looking for alternative options for oil supplies from Russia. Then it was a question of deliveries via the Odessa-Brody pipeline, by reverse from Gdansk and through the ports of Latvia and Lithuania. The Baltic states and Ukraine are interested in such changes, since Russian cargo in recent years has been withdrawn from the ports of these countries.

Earlier, the Belarusian Oil Company (BNK) announced plans to increase the supply of oil products through the territory of Lithuania. That is, despite the anti-Belarusian rhetoric (in particular, on the construction of the Belarusian NPP) and statements about the possible transfer of goods from Lithuanian Klaipeda, the republic’s refineries maintain close cooperation with their Baltic partners.

GarryB wrote:Clearly no loyalty there, or they are trying to get a better price by trying to pretend there is competition.

That is OK because then Russia can do the same and look to alternatives to using Belarus ports and roads and rail services...

miketheterrible wrote:Belarus is heading to a Maiden themselves and Lukashenko is done for.  One way or another, that guy is done.  So is Belarus.

Its better that Russia takes all their investments back.

Costs of these alternatives are way too much for Belarus which isnt a rich country.  And these countries have no money to subsidize Belarus.

So Belarus is just shooting himself a foot.

Russia will need to at least try to obtain Belarus. It was historical Russian land and losing that will be bad. So they just gotta get Lukashenko out.

Walther von Oldenburg wrote:A Crimea-like operation would be welcome. Most of Belarus is heavily pro-Russian and Belarussian army will not oppose a Russian takeover.

I don't think RUssia did not draw lessions from the Euromaidan.

calripson wrote:

Walther von Oldenburg wrote:A Crimea-like operation would be welcome. Most of Belarus is heavily pro-Russian and Belarussian army will not oppose a Russian takeover.

I don't think RUssia did not draw lessions from the Euromaidan.

Have you been to Belarussia lately? Spoken with any Belarussians under the age of 35? There is no political desire among young Belarussians to integrate with Russia. There was a window of opportunity circa 2000 when it could have worked, but not now. It has been almost thirty tears since the USSR dissolved and an entirely new generation has come of age.

Rodion_Romanovic wrote:

calripson wrote:

Walther von Oldenburg wrote:A Crimea-like operation would be welcome. Most of Belarus is heavily pro-Russian and Belarussian army will not oppose a Russian takeover.

I don't think RUssia did not draw lessions from the Euromaidan.

Have you been to Belarussia lately? Spoken with any Belarussians under the age of 35? There is no political desire among young Belarussians to integrate with Russia. There was a window of opportunity circa 2000 when it could have worked, but not now. It has been almost thirty tears since the USSR dissolved and an entirely new generation has come of age.

I heard that as well.
But they should understand that free money from Russia for an independent Belarus should never again happen.

We'll see what happen when the old man dies or end up like Ceaușescu...
I just hope Russia will be ready for all eventualities.

I also believe the belorussians should have learned something from the Ukrainian lessons and how good they are since they cut relationship with Russia.

Eventually they will be reunited, it depend if they choose first to destroy their country listening to the promises from the west (that has no use of them)

PhSt wrote:Belarus threatens to pull out of Russia integration deal over subsidy row

MINSK (Reuters) - Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on Sunday threatened to pull out of signing an integration deal with Russia next month if Moscow failed to resolve their dispute over energy subsidies.

Russia has propped up its traditional ally with loans and subsidies to keep Belarus in its political orbit but now plans to phase these out to lessen the burden on its economy.

That has strained ties at the same time as Lukashenko has sought to improve relations with the West.

Belarus previously said that it stands to lose hundreds of millions of dollars a year from changes to Russian tax policy and has tried to negotiate compensation. Russia says the subsidies cost its exchequer billions of dollars.

The two countries are due to sign a roadmap in December to bring their economies closer together.

That includes a unified tax code, closely aligned banking supervision, and a single regulator of oil, gas and electricity markets, according to details of the plan revealed by Russia’s Kommersant newspaper in September.

“If our fundamental issues are not resolved: on the supply of hydrocarbons, on the opening of markets, no roadmaps can be signed,” Lukashenko told reporters on the same day as Belarus held parliamentary elections.

Lukashenko previously accused Russia of trying to strong-arm his country into fully merging with its neighbor and has accused Moscow of falling into “hysterics” over his moves to balance ties between east and west.

Gazprom, Belarusian government sign gas prices protocol for 2020

Rodion_Romanovic wrote:

PhSt wrote:Belarus threatens to pull out of Russia integration deal over subsidy row

MINSK (Reuters) - Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on Sunday threatened to pull out of signing an integration deal with Russia next month if Moscow failed to resolve their dispute over energy subsidies.

Russia has propped up its traditional ally with loans and subsidies to keep Belarus in its political orbit but now plans to phase these out to lessen the burden on its economy.

That has strained ties at the same time as Lukashenko has sought to improve relations with the West.

Belarus previously said that it stands to lose hundreds of millions of dollars a year from changes to Russian tax policy and has tried to negotiate compensation. Russia says the subsidies cost its exchequer billions of dollars.

The two countries are due to sign a roadmap in December to bring their economies closer together.

That includes a unified tax code, closely aligned banking supervision, and a single regulator of oil, gas and electricity markets, according to details of the plan revealed by Russia’s Kommersant newspaper in September.

“If our fundamental issues are not resolved: on the supply of hydrocarbons, on the opening of markets, no roadmaps can be signed,” Lukashenko told reporters on the same day as Belarus held parliamentary elections.

Lukashenko previously accused Russia of trying to strong-arm his country into fully merging with its neighbor and has accused Moscow of falling into “hysterics” over his moves to balance ties between east and west.

What an idiot.

However for Russia this can be a pain in the neck.

Btw in 2020 they should have again Belorussians presidential elections (till now broadly dominated by Lukashenko). Maybe Russia could show support to a different candidate since the old man is not trustworthy?

kvs wrote:You see, the west understands "human" aka animal psychology.   If you beat the dog it will give you respect since you are
the alpha.   If you give the dog unsolicited gifts, the dog will think it is an alpha and you are the weak beta.   You can see
the dog Lukashenko ramping up his beta dog pandering to his perceived alpha masters in NATzO.   For him Russia, which
is the real alpha, is a beta which he reflexively treats with contempt.

All these dogs bordering Russia need to fall into the NATzO alpha dog trap and eat shit for a few decades.   Maybe some of
their citizens will grow enough brain mass to see the light.