Lukashenko: Russia may lose Belarus

Baku. 10 January. REPORT.AZ/ Russia may lose its only ally in the western direction in the person of Belarus if the parties fail to reach an agreement on compensation in connection with the tax manoeuvre in the oil sector, president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has said.

Report informs citing Russia media tht Lukashenko said the absence of agreements with Russia on this issue will not be a disaster for the country. "If Russia chooses such a way of movement and the loss of its only ally in the western direction, that's their choice," he explained.

The Belarusian leader urged the government of the republic to find other "reliable sources" to compensate for the losses of the Belarusian budget associated with the Russian tax maneuver.

At the same time, Lukashenko stressed that for Belarus it is not a problem to earn an additional $400 million.