Belarus Is Looking for an Alternative to Russian Oil

Minsk sent its purchase oil requests to Ukraine, Poland, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and the Baltic countries. Latvia has already expressed readiness to discuss options. Belarus sent out commercial offers on its purchase of oil to enterprises in Ukraine, Poland, the Baltic countries, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, said First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Krutoy on Tuesday, January 14. According to him the Belarusian Oil Company factories commercial services conduct daily negotiations on possible supplies. Latvia has already stated that it is ready to participate in projects of reverse oil supplies to Belarus. This was announced by the Latvian Ambassador to Minsk Einars Semanis on the eve of the visit of the Prime Minister of Latvia to Belarus. Earlier, President Alexander Lukashenko charged the staff to study the possibility of delivering oil by rail from ports in the Baltic, as well as using the Druzhba pipeline. From January 1, deliveries of Russian companies to Belarus were stopped due to disagreements in the price of oil and in tariffs for the Russian raw materials transit. Belarus is also seeking to reduce compensation in connection with the Russian tax maneuver in the oil industry, as a result of which the Belarusian refineries suffered losses. Previous contracts expired on December 31. The authorities in Minsk emphasize that Belarus is an important consumer for Russia: it accounts for about 10% of Russian oil exports. Minsk was forced to stop the export of oil products and oil produced in the republic from January 1. According to Interfax, only companies Russneft and Neftis gave support to Belarus, they are part of the Safmar group of Mikhail Gutseriev, which is building the Nezhinsky Ore Mining and Refinery  enterprise in the republic to produce potash ore and potash fertilizers.