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Nailia Asker-Zade, a journalist for a Kremlin spokesperson in an interview with Lukashenko, is best known to the public not for her professional activities, but for a study by Kremlin critic Alexei Navaln, which revealed her lover’s wealth from the Russian state 63 years. Andrei Kostin, president of the bank and a close figure in Vladimir Putin’s environment.
“Do you consider Vladimir Putin as your friend?” Asker-Zade asked Lukashenko. “Yes, I consider him my friend. And this year he reaffirmed that he is a friend not only of mine, but also of the Belarusian people, ”the Belarusian leader smiled.
Questions about the rapprochement with Moscow
During the interview, the journalist tried to provoke Lukashenko by asking him about the rapprochement with Moscow. He was repeatedly reminded of the close relations between Russia and Belarus, their common history and roots. When asked if the level of bilateral integration seemed sufficient to him, Lukashenko avoided saying that “before taking further measures, questions of principle should be resolved and a level playing field created.”
By saying this, he was referring to the more favorable price of gas that he was trying to negotiate with Russia.
“I think this price could be more favorable in the context of our relations,” Lukashenko said.
„Reuters“ / „Scanpix“ nuotr./Aliaksandras Lukašenka
Alexei Miller, head of Russia’s Gazprom, and Viktor Karankevich, Belarus’s energy minister, signed a protocol in Saint Petersburg on December 24, which established the procedure for calculating the prices of Russian gas supplied to Belarus by 2021. During the interview , Lukashenko said that the exact price of gas will reach 128.5 dollars per thousand cubic meters.
He stressed that there was no need for a single currency so far, calling it a “high point in bilateral relations” that could only be achieved once other issues have been resolved.
Relations with Europe and the West
“There is a country, an older brother, who will always support Belarus, it is Russia. And Russia is also convinced that it would be difficult in the direction of the western vector without Belarus,” Lukashenko said.
Asked if much was being done because the West did not recognize the results of the Belarusian presidential elections, Lukashenko said it was a matter of taste.
“Some recognize (election results, 15 minutes), Others do not. It is a matter of taste. Frankly, it’s not very nice, but it doesn’t kill me, “he opened.
Reuters / Scanpix photo / Alexander Lukashenko could lose the World Cup in Belarus
Despite a clear return to Russia in recent times and sanctions imposed by the West, Lukashenko has not ruled out the possibility of new relations and development with the United States, the European Union and China.
“America is a large country with abundant high technology. We want and will strive to develop a relationship with it. I think they care about Belarus,” Lukashenko explained. When asked if the United States wanted to have relations with Belarus, he replied: “If you don’t want to, please do so.”
During the interview, the Belarusian leader emphasized that the country does not only receive assistance from Russia.
“In the past, when severe sanctions were imposed on us, China approached us with an investment of $ 7 billion. <...> Having taken the credits offered by the EU, we repair many roads in Belarus. Russia will not offer us such loans, “Lukashenko explained.
Relations with the opposition
Currently, the leader of the Belarusian opposition residing in Lithuania, Sviatlan Cichanouskaya, has been called by Lukashenko the building of the Lithuanian and Polish special services.
“I do not want to speak ill of that, but I want to say that Sviatlana is not able to formulate a unified idea to present it, not even on the Telegram channel. She does all this for her and then offers her foreign hands, “Lukashenko said.
Photo by Julius Kalinskas / 15min / Sviatlana Cichanouskaya
Asker-Zade recalled a meeting with opposition figures detained in the isolator of the State Security Committee (KGB) last October. After him, Siarhej Cichanouskis was allowed to call S. Cichanouskaja, who lives in Lithuania. During the conversation, the husband urged his wife not to give up and accept even harsher rhetoric.
Recalling this conversation during the interview, Lukashenko called it “impossible” that the opposition was talking to his wife about politics. “It is not possible humanly, a person can call and this is how he speaks. This characterizes him. I am glad that many, including you, have seen his true face,” Lukashenko addressed the famous Russian propagandist.
Mr. Lukashenko explained that the meeting with the opposition was “under pressure from Russia” and stressed that he had shown that he could “enter into a dialogue with anyone”.
Economic sanctions
Lukashenko commented on the intentions to disconnect Belarus from the World Organization for Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) system, openly annoyed: “Let it disconnect if it wants trouble,” he said.
The headquarters of Belarusian opposition leader S. Cichanouskaya issued a report last November announcing its intention to extend sanctions against the Belarusian regime.
Cichanouskaya said the goal was for “foreign banks to stop lending to Belarus [bankus], in particular the state-owned Belarusbank and Belagroprom, and cooperate with them.
“We have discussed the possibility of disconnecting the Lukashenko regime from the SWIFT system,” through which international interbank settlements take place, according to the S. Chichanouskaya report.
This Sunday, S. Chichanouskaya also spoke about another measure: the opportunity to postpone the World Hockey Championship, which will be held in Minsk this year. A statement posted on Ms. Cichanouskaya’s Telegram channel indicated that she and Latvian Foreign Minister Edgar Rinkevičius had discussed the possibility of relocation.
Lukashenko spoke much more calmly about the advancement of the championship, despite the fact that hockey is his old passion, and huge sums of money were invested in the championship. He claimed not to turn his head about it.
Relations with Ukraine
Speaking to journalist Rossija1, Lukashenko said that he was not angry with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for saying that Ukraine did not recognize him as the legitimate president of Belarus.
“Our economic cooperation continues to develop. I am not angry with V. Zelensky and the Ukrainian authorities. We have not ruined the relationship and we are not ruining it. If Russia and Ukraine need something, we also become intermediaries of the economy,” Lukashenko said.
Scanpix / ITAR-TASS Photo / Alexander Lukashenko and Volodymyr Zelensky
In fact, relations between the two countries remain relatively close: in 2020, gasoline imports to Ukraine amounted to 1.095 billion. tons, that’s 5.5 percent. more than last year (1,038 million tons). This was announced in January this year by the Ukrainian portal enkorr.ua, according to sources from the A-95 consultation group.
According to A-95, Belarusian refineries increased the volume of exported gasoline by 23.7 percent. (163 thousand tons) to 854.5 thousand. tons, thus increasing the share of gasoline imports to 67%. up to 78 percent.
From 2020. August 9 The country’s presidential elections in Belarus are marred by protests. Belarusians took to the streets after the occupation of the country since 1994. Lukashenko, who ruled, declared himself the winner of the elections.
The opposition and Western democracies claim that these elections were rigged. The protesters are demanding the resignation of Lukashenko, the release of political prisoners and new elections.
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