MINSK, Belarus - The leader of Belarus boasted Tuesday about warming ties with the United States as his officials discussed alternative energy imports as part of efforts to win concessions from Russia. In the past, Belarus has cashed in on exports of petroleum products made from cheap Russian oil. Lukashenko has bristled at the Kremlin pressure, charging that some Russian officials want to push Belarus into surrendering its sovereignty. Russia and Belarus signed a union agreement in 1997 that envisaged close political, economic and military ties, but stopped short of forming a single nation. “There is no real alternative to Russian oil and gas; other options are significantly more expensive,” said Valery Karbalevich, an independent Minsk-based political analyst.

Source: thestar February 04, 2020 11:23 UTC