Trouble in Rus' 04/26/2010
Where is my discount?
Russia’s relations with Ukraine and Belarus have been going in opposite directions recently. In Ukraine, the election of Viktor Yanukovich as president brought about a quick rapprochement with Moscow. Belarus, on the other hand, has been embroiled in a trade war with the Medvedev administration over subsidies on everything from gas to milk. After almost a decade in which Minsk was Russia’s only reliable ally in the region, Ukraine seems to have supplanted it.
Belarus’ resentment at this new state of affairs came to the fore on Sunday. As part of a press conference, President Alexander Lukashenko was asked to comment on a new deal that gives Russia access to the Crimean port of Sevastopol in exchange for a 30% discount on the price of its gas. In response, he lashed out at Russia’s leaders, saying that “if the president of Russia has forgotten about Baranovichi and Velejka [Russian military bases in Belarus], we need to remind him.” He also complained that Russia pays “zero rubles, zero kopecks, and zero dollars” to use these installations.
Ironically, the Ukrainian interior ministry has just begun talks about forming a union of the three countries. According to polling data, more than sixty percent of Ukrainians now support this idea. Since 2000, Belarus and Russia have technically been united in the so-called Union State. Both of these alliances could be in jeopardy if relations continue to sour.
Belarus’ resentment at this new state of affairs came to the fore on Sunday. As part of a press conference, President Alexander Lukashenko was asked to comment on a new deal that gives Russia access to the Crimean port of Sevastopol in exchange for a 30% discount on the price of its gas. In response, he lashed out at Russia’s leaders, saying that “if the president of Russia has forgotten about Baranovichi and Velejka [Russian military bases in Belarus], we need to remind him.” He also complained that Russia pays “zero rubles, zero kopecks, and zero dollars” to use these installations.
Ironically, the Ukrainian interior ministry has just begun talks about forming a union of the three countries. According to polling data, more than sixty percent of Ukrainians now support this idea. Since 2000, Belarus and Russia have technically been united in the so-called Union State. Both of these alliances could be in jeopardy if relations continue to sour.
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