The leaders of Russia and Belarus, Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko discussed the topic of oil and gas supplies to Belarus in a telephone conversation on Tuesday, BelTA news agency reports, citing the press service of the Belarusian president.
“Further to and in development of yesterday’s conversation, heads of state discussed the subject of hydrocarbons supplies, having paid particular attention to oil supplies to the Republic of Belarus,” the presidential press service said, adding that the call was initiated by the Russian side.
“The presidents also exchanged New Year and Christmas greetings,” Russia’s Kremlin commented.
On Monday, the Russian and Belarusian leaders had a detailed telephone conversation on oil and gas supplies to Belarus. Lukashenko and Putin agreed that the governments of the two countries would draft interim conditions of oil and gas supplies, if economic entities fail to come to terms by January 1. Then a final decision may be made, which the presidents may approve after the Christmas holidays in the middle of January.
Moscow and Minsk are in the process of coordinating 31 roadmaps for the two countries’ integration. Such roadmaps for oil, gas and taxes are still to be agreed on. On December 20 it was announced that Russia and Belarus had agreed on oil and gas supplies in principle.
Lukashenko said that his country in 2020 would purchase about 20 billion cubic meters of gas and 24-25 million tons of oil. The exact price of gas will be set in the near future, the Belarusian president said, adding that it would remain at last year’s level by and large ($127 per 1,000 cubic meters).
