MOSCOW, 14 March (BelTA) – It is important we speed up the modernization of rail infrastructure from Belarus to Russian seaports, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he addressed the Federation Council during his official visit to the Russian Federation on 14 March, BelTA has learned. The head of state stressed that modernization of transport infrastructure, especially to sea ports, is of great importance for Belarus. He explained that Belarus has port facilities near St. Petersburg. The country could significantly ramp up its shipments through the ports, but so far this has been hampered by the insufficient rail capacities, especially through the territory of Russia. One of the options for solving the problem is to rebuild the junctions that were there but were dismantled.
“St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast are ready to help us. The governors are doing a great job. But there are some bureaucratic delays and we can't solve this problem,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted. “We need to get this issue settled and move forward.”
The president considers it promising to use the railroad towards Russia's northwestern region for the subsequent cargo transshipment via the Russian seaports. “We can use the port capacities and trade trough them, no matter how hard they try to intimidate us,” the head of state noted. He explained that various threats, including the possibility of arresting ships and cargoes passing through the Baltic Sea, come from different sides, and that he discussed the topic with the Russian leader. I said: “Well, Vladimir Vladimirovich, there is only one thing left to do: to use warships for escort. What else? We should not turn the other cheek all the time. No, we won't,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized.
He pointed out that “our ‘friends’ in the Baltic States, Sweden and Finland are continuously attempting to provoke Belarusians and Russians in order to make accusations against them afterwards. “It is one thing like cables, or the other... There is no evidence, just provocations, escalation,” the Belarusian leader said.
Back in the day, they laid out unfounded accusations against Russia for Nord Stream. “Now everybody knows who blew it up. The Americans are asking the Russian leadership to give them the gas pipelines to supply Russian gas to Europe. This requires careful thinking. We all know that the Americans will buy gas cheaper and sell at a profit,” Aleksandr Lukashenko warned. According to him, he shares the Russian president's point of view on this issue: Russia should continue to control the Nord Streams while remaining open to cooperation with the U.S. in this project, if there is an agreement with other partners.
“St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast are ready to help us. The governors are doing a great job. But there are some bureaucratic delays and we can't solve this problem,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted. “We need to get this issue settled and move forward.”
The president considers it promising to use the railroad towards Russia's northwestern region for the subsequent cargo transshipment via the Russian seaports. “We can use the port capacities and trade trough them, no matter how hard they try to intimidate us,” the head of state noted. He explained that various threats, including the possibility of arresting ships and cargoes passing through the Baltic Sea, come from different sides, and that he discussed the topic with the Russian leader. I said: “Well, Vladimir Vladimirovich, there is only one thing left to do: to use warships for escort. What else? We should not turn the other cheek all the time. No, we won't,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized.
He pointed out that “our ‘friends’ in the Baltic States, Sweden and Finland are continuously attempting to provoke Belarusians and Russians in order to make accusations against them afterwards. “It is one thing like cables, or the other... There is no evidence, just provocations, escalation,” the Belarusian leader said.
Back in the day, they laid out unfounded accusations against Russia for Nord Stream. “Now everybody knows who blew it up. The Americans are asking the Russian leadership to give them the gas pipelines to supply Russian gas to Europe. This requires careful thinking. We all know that the Americans will buy gas cheaper and sell at a profit,” Aleksandr Lukashenko warned. According to him, he shares the Russian president's point of view on this issue: Russia should continue to control the Nord Streams while remaining open to cooperation with the U.S. in this project, if there is an agreement with other partners.
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