{"id":11513,"date":"2022-12-20T10:40:48","date_gmt":"2022-12-20T07:40:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.pozirk.online\/longreads\/putin-lukasenka-announce-gas-deal-issue-new-threats\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","slug":"putin-lukasenka-announce-gas-deal-issue-new-threats","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11513\/","title":{"rendered":"Putin, \u0141uka\u0161enka announce gas deal, issue new threats"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\tBy Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN<\/span>\n<\/div>\n

\n Since Russian President Vladimir Putin does not visit Minsk very often, some observers expected his December 19 talks with Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka to produce big decisions. However, after the meeting the two men just made boilerplate statements on closer integration in the face of sanctions.<\/span><\/b>\n<\/p>\n

No need for Russia to absorb Belarus?<\/h2>\n

\n\t Some observers speculated that Putin would press for Belarus\u2019 deeper involvement in Russia\u2019s military campaign in Ukraine, while others said that he would seek the annexation of Belarus to Russia as consolation for Ukraine failure.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Asked whether Russia could absorb Belarus, Putin claimed that \u201cthe Russian Federation has no interest in absorbing anyone, this is simply impractical.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Clearly, Moscow does not see any need to rush annexation as long as Minsk complies with its wishes and gradually cedes key elements of its sovereignty to Russia.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t As for Belarus\u2019 direct involvement in Russia\u2019s military operations in Ukraine, Putin seems to be happy with its neighbor\u2019s current role as a military outpost. Belarus supplies Russia with civil, dual-purpose and military goods. The Russian president stressed that both countries must produce goods to substitute for imports.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The Russian delegation included senior officials in charge of finances, the economy and defense industry. Belarusian officials seized the opportunity to offer Moscow a variety of services that it might need amid Western sanctions, from supplying parts for military equipment to making military uniform, for instance. Microchips manufactured by the Minsk-based Integral company may be not as good as electronics from more advanced companies, but they are definitely better than nothing.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Officials would not disclose any details though.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t On the other hand, Putin and \u0141uka\u0161enka played up a program to re-equip obsolete Belarusian warplanes for carrying \u201cspecial\u201d ammunition.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t A few months earlier, during his visit to a mechanical plant in Minsk on August 26, \u0141uka\u0161enka threatened the West with nuclear weapons. Commenting on Operation Atlantic Resolve, he said in an apparent reference to NATO that \u201cno helicopters or planes will save them if they escalate.\u201d He said that Russia had re-equipped Belarus\u2019 Sukhoi aircraft for delivering nuclear munitions. The military command of Belarus identified \u201cdecision-making centers\u201d that \u201cwill be hit in the event of provocation,\u201d he added.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t But analysts note that the Kremlin does not trust \u0141uka\u0161enka as much as to send nuclear ammunition to Belarus for storage.\n<\/p>\n

Gas deal: price not disclosed<\/h2>\n

\n\t \u0141uka\u0161enka and Putin said they had agreed on Russian energy prices for Belarus.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The Belarusian leader noted that he was satisfied with the outcome of discussions on a common market of natural gas and energy prices for the next three years. \u201cWe have fixed our price, it is favorable for us,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t The two leaders would not go into detail.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Russia faces restrictions on market access and appears to have surplus oil and gas, so it can offer its ally a big discount.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Earlier, Minsk committed itself to tax harmonization with Russia in a major concession for cheap oil supplies. Moscow might have demanded something for cheap natural gas.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Belarus has been gradually ceding its sovereignty over economic matters to Moscow.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Incidentally, Putin pointed out that Russia continues to build the Astraviec Nuclear Power Plant \u201cto its own detriment.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\t \u201cWe could supply additional gas, but instead the power plant is operating, and the amount of electricity generated corresponds to 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas that Gazprom could supply, but no longer supplies, to the Belarusian market,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t It should be noted that Russia had provided a loan for the project that Minsk has to repay with an interest. If it builds new reactors, Belarus\u2019 debt will increase.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Anyway, economics and politics have always meshed as Moscow seeks to tie Belarus to Russia.\n<\/p>\n

Belarus\u2019 role in Russia\u2019s war against Ukraine <\/h2>\n

\n\t Even if Putin persuaded \u0141uka\u0161enka to send his troops to attack Ukraine, he would not brag about it at the news conference.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Ukrainian defense officials say that Russia and Belarus have not enough troops on the Belarusian territory for a new offensive. It would take them two or three months to prepare.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Anyway, Minsk and Moscow would not disclose their plans early to give the adversary time to respond.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t If a new offensive is launched from Belarus, the Belarusian ruler can always lay the blame at Ukraine\u2019s door, accusing it of \u201cprovocation.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\t Meanwhile, both leaders continue to put on a brave face. In the grand scheme of things, the two backward regimes do not seem to have a chance against the broad alliance of advanced democratic countries. Still, they have the power to make a big mess.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN Since Russian President Vladimir Putin does not visit Minsk very often, some observers expected his December 19 talks with Alaksandr \u0141uka\u0161enka to produce big decisions. However, after the meeting the two men just made boilerplate statements on closer integration in the face of sanctions. No need for Russia to absorb Belarus? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"template":"","rubric":[24],"class_list":["post-11513","longreads","type-longreads","status-publish","hentry","rubric-theviewer"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nPutin, \u0141uka\u0161enka announce gas deal, issue new threats | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"By Alaksandr K\u0142asko\u016dski, BPN Since Russian President Vladimir Putin does not visit Minsk very often, some observers expected his December 19 talks with\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11513\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Putin, \u0141uka\u0161enka announce gas deal, issue new threats | Pozirk\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Alaksandr 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