You're reading: Lukashenko calls gas deals with Russia blessing for Belarusian people

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has described the gas understandings with Russia as beneficial for his country adding that any surrender of sovereignty is out of the question.

"We worked to that end for over two years. What we agreed upon in Moscow is a blessing for the Belarusian people," he told the press on Friday.

He said that the understandings reached in Moscow "untied the knot of problems in relations with Russia."

"But most importantly, we are not losing anything but are gaining much by getting a big discount on natural gas," he said.

"The savings on natural gas alone may run from $2.5 billion to $3 billion."

"Plus, they transferred $2.5 billion for 50% of Beltransgaz shares. And then there will be linkage with the Russian domestic price; that is, we will be competing with the Russian Federation on an equal footing," he said.

Commenting on the criticism for selling Beltransgaz to Russia, the president said: "The argument is that Lukashenko lost the lever of pressure on Russia."

"They must be insane. As if Lukashenko would pull out the pipe from under the ground and start running around Russia waving it and threatening Russia," he said. "I don’t intend to fight with Russia. We don’t need to," he added.

Speaking on the criticism of his opponents, Lukashenko said: "If this Beltransgaz were bought by the European Union or America tomorrow, there would be complete silence and no independence would be surrendered, as they say. All this is rotten politics."

"It is not for me to surrender sovereignty and independence. I must make optimal decisions," he said.