Photo by Global Look Press
MINSK, 11 January (BelTA) - In a new episode of the V Teme [On Point] project on BelTA's YouTube channel economist and analyst Serghei Banari shared his thoughts on how the seizure of the Russian tanker Marinera by the Americans could affect Russia-USA relations.
The expert described the seizure of the Marinera tanker by the Americans as a small fragment of a major geopolitical drama that has been unfolding since 24 February 2022. “Geopolitics is not a series of isolated, modular events completely unrelated to each other,” Serghei Banari said.
He noted that the situation with the Marinera tanker is unlikely to lead to a sharp cooling in Russia-USA relations. “I think everyone understands the rules of the game perfectly well. They specifically needed an oil tanker that had painted the Russian flag on its hull to prove a point: if the Americans seized a Russian tanker, imagine what could happen to all the others. I won’t go so far as to claim this is the result of some backroom deal, but I am convinced that the USA has enough leverage to unofficially offer Russia something in return to smooth over this misunderstanding,” he emphasized.
Serghei Banari added that back-channel diplomacy is very effective in this case. He pointed out that there are a sufficient number of expert groups on both the Russian and American sides, which consult at various levels and try to find common ground. “I can’t state it for certain, but I think Donald Trump will very quickly smooth over this misunderstanding and will, nevertheless, have to build more or less adequate and understandable relations with Russia,” the expert concluded.
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