Russian Foreign Ministry: the European Union must understand the consequences of the “strangulation” of Minsk by the sanctions
Photo: Konstantin Kokoshkin / Globallookpress.com
Neither Russia nor the European Union is interested in stopping gas transit through Belarus, but the EU must understand the consequences of the “strangulation” of Minsk by the sanctions. This was stated in an interview with RIA Novosti by the director of the Second Department of the CIS countries of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Alexei Polishchuk.
The diplomat accused the West of provoking the Belarusian authorities to cut off gas supplies to Europe and called the reasons for imposing sanctions on the country artificial. He pointed out that the countries of Western and Central Europe “continue to stifle Belarus with sanctions, undermine its economy, support political emigrants and incite Belarusian citizens to unrest.”
Polishchuk noted that Russia values the status of a reliable supplier of energy resources, and added that the closure of transit will affect the price indicators, “which are already breaking records.” He drew attention to the fact that it is the Western restrictions on Belarus that provoke retaliatory measures, which are no less painful.
Earlier, Alexander Lukashenko said that Minsk is ready to cut off gas transit to Europe if Western sanctions put it in a state of emergency. He stressed that he considers such a reaction as a last resort.
In Russia, they reacted with restraint to Lukashenka's statements. Thus, the press secretary of the country's president, Dmitry Peskov, indicated that Minsk did not discuss and did not agree on such a statement with Moscow. Also, the Kremlin has repeatedly stressed that Gazprom will fulfill its obligations to European customers in any case.
