Europe Left without Oil Thanks to Putin and Lukashenka :: Charter'97 :: News

Russian oil deliveries to six European countries (Poland, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Ukraine) via trunk pipeline Druzhba have been disrupted, BelaPAN informs. On Tuesday morning Vice Prime Minister Andrei Kabyakou left for Moscow. As Belarusian Embassy to Moscow informs, the aim of Kabyakou visit is “talks for settling of mutual claims concerning Russia’s imposing oil export duty unilaterally and in violation of Belarusian-Russian agreements, and Belarusian duty for oil transported via Belarus”.

A day before a Belarusian delegation headed by first deputy minister of economy Uladzimir Najdunou arrived to Moscow.

Belarusian Prime Minister Syarhei Sidorski is expected in the Kremlin on Wednesday.

Russian oil flow to Europe through Belarus was cut off on Monday. Transneft announced the Belarus had been siphoning off oil illegally after Belarus announced it would charge an import duty of US$45 per metric ton of Russian oil shipped to Western Europe in pipelines that cross Belarus. The Russian side finds this duty illegal and states that Belarus refuses to pipe oil without this duty. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry denied blocking the transit of Russian oil, saying that Belarus was not responsible for a decrease of pressure in the pipeline.

Poland stated that it has oil stock enough for 80 days, Slovakia for 70 days, Hungary for 90 days and Germany for 130 days.