Minsk Will Not Talk about Integration with Russia If No Oil Supplies

Belarus will not work on issues of possible integration with Russia until issues on oil supplies are resolved. This stated Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei. Since 2019, Russia has been reforming, gradually replacing oil export duties with tax. Because of this, the cost of oil for Belarus could rise to the world level. Previously, Minsk bought it at a preferential price. At the end of last year, Moscow and Minsk could not agree on oil supplies for 2020. The talks were held amid a discussion on integration of the two countries in exchange for the supply of Russian oil at the previous price. protests were held in Belarus. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has accused the Russian side of striving to "twist Minsk's hands" in order to "achieve coercion." He emphasized that he would not compromise the sovereignty of the country. The Kremlin said that Russian President Vladimir Putin did not propose a unification of the two countries, but spoke about deepening the existing union integration. On February 7, after a meeting between Lukashenko and Putin, it was decided that Belarusian refineries would buy oil from Russian companies at world market prices.