The meeting of the leaders of Russia and Belarus is being prepared, the agenda for the conversation between Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko is currently being formed. This was stated by the press secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov, RIA Novosti reports.
Thus, he commented on media reports that at the meeting in Sochi, the parties will discuss a new loan for Minsk in the amount of $ 3 billion, in addition to the already approved loan of $ 1.5 billion.
Earlier, Kommersant, citing sources in the Russian government, reported that at the February meeting in Sochi, Lukashenko wants to ask Putin for the right to spend the funds left over from the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant.
One of the interlocutors of the publication indicated that the parties have agreed in principle, it remains only to agree on the interest, timing and amount of the amount. Perhaps Lukashenka will receive more than three billion.
The last time Putin and Lukashenko met in September and also in Sochi. From there, the incumbent president of Belarus left with the promise of a loan of $ 1.5 billion. This support allowed him to survive in the midst of unprecedented protests against his rule, which began after the August 9 elections and continue to this day.
Minsk has already received a billion dollars, the last tranche is expected to be carried out in the first half of 2021. Russia, for its part, hastens the republic with reforms, and also hints at the inevitability of creating a common currency. In particular, Deputy Head of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev spoke about this.
Meanwhile, Transneft is trying to prevent the seizure of the West-Transnefteproduct oil product pipeline by the Belarusian authorities. Minsk intends to bankrupt the operating company with the help of higher taxes and administrative pressure in order to nationalize the pipe.