"It seems, Minsk will receive a purely business proposal", this opinion on the forthcoming visit of President Vladimir Putin to Belarus voiced the member of Russian Association of Political Experts and Consultants Kirill Koktysh.
"Russia, as it's known, already for several years has felt confident in the Belarusian gas industry, and Minsk received good financial support in the form of Gazprom's purchase of Beltransgaz and favorable gas prices. While the oil industry is still under control of the Republic's government. Belarusian oil refineries are of great interest for large Russian oil traders", said Kirill Koktysh in an interview with RIA Novosti.
For its part, the expert said, Belarus is interested in the new large-scale financial injections. "So, the interaction in the fuel and energy complex is sure to become a key topic of discussion by delegations of the allied states. Therefore, the arrival of Putin in Belarus is not symbolism at all", said the analyst.
"President Lukashenko at a meeting on May 31 ordered the government to prepare proposals for developing cooperation with Russia in the long term. In addition, it should be a signal to the West: Russia to Belarus has been and remains a major focus in the political and economic affairs", Koktysh concluded.
We remind, on the eve of Putin's visit Lukashenko instructed the government to prepare interesting new economic proposals for the Russian side.
