Recently the US announced that she would be willing to work with Belarus to ‘fully supply’ her with oil. In response, President Lukashenko has said that he would be willing to buy oil from Russia at ‘world prices’.
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said that Minsk is ready to buy oil from the Russian Federation at world prices, but there they insist on a substantial premium to companies, moreover. He said this on Tuesday during a trip to the city of Dobrush in the east of the country.
“What we are asking now from the Russians <...>: if you cannot supply oil to us duty free in the Eurasian Union <...>, sell us at world prices,” said Lukashenko, quoted by BelTA .
According to the Belarusian leader, in the Russian Federation they do not agree to such proposals and “insist on a substantial bonus to the companies, moreover, for the supply of oil” to the republic. “And how do you keep Hungary, Poland, and the West? Without a prize. Is it possible that the elder brother can relate to his closest people?” – said Lukashenko.
Lukashenko noted that Belarus offers Russia honest and transparent cooperation, without asking for anything in addition to how it interacts with the West. “We are ready to cooperate. But it should be honest, transparent and sincere. We are not asking for anything in addition to the way they work in the West,” he said. (source)
Belarus is similar to Ukraine in that she needs oil in order survive and is a major transition point to the rest of Europe for oil transport.
It will be interesting to see if Lukashenko, who is known for his authoritarianism but also walking a ‘thin line’ between the US and Russia, may have more visits from the US, or if there may be a revolution in that nation, backed either by the Russians or the US.