Opinions & Interviews

Lukashenko calls common energy markets EAEU’s biggest issue

MOSCOW, 25 May (BelTA) – Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko talked to reporters after a summit of the Eurasian Economic Union ended in Moscow on 25 May, BelTA has learned. Among other things the president mentioned the biggest issue that needs to be addressed.

The reporters asked Aleksandr Lukashenko to clarify what he meant when several days before the visit to Russia the president mentioned the need to discuss and resolve a number of problems. Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “You know, we have many issues, not problems that need to be addressed. The biggest issue is our common energy markets of natural gas, oil, and so on. I talked about it [during the summit]. It is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed. There are transport issues, logistics issues, and secondary issues. If we go below them, to petty issues, we will see some misunderstandings in the course of shipping our products to the Russian Federation, particularly agricultural goods and foods. This is this complex of issues.”

The reporter wondered whether Russia impedes import of Belarusian products. Aleksandr Lukashenko confirmed it: “Yes, we have problems concerning some goods. For instance, let’s talk about dairy products. We understand that there are periods of big milk yields. When Russia has plenty of milk, some braking process begins. It is wrong. I think we will resolve this issue at the government level. I don’t even discuss it with the Russian president. Because it is odd.”

Moreover, Aleksandr Lukashenko said that during the private part of the summit Vladimir Putin mentioned that Russia has a shortage of dairy products as large as about 15%. “But we cannot even plug this hole. Nevertheless, some like it,” the Belarusian leader noted.

When asked whether the sides had managed to come to terms on some specific problems, Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “I am talking about the entire Eurasian Economic Union after all. As for the Russian Federation, we can resolve any issue we raise today within several days.”

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