travelling to Europe, U.S. Secretary of state Michael Pompeo will not take part in the videoconference. Today he arrives to Poland from Austria. In Warsaw Pompeo sign new Polish-American agreement under which the United States is further moved to the country about a thousand soldiers and will deploy drones. However, the events in Belarus can complement the agenda of the negotiations of the head of American diplomacy.
still, officials in the United States frostily commented on the events in Belarus. According to Pompeo, he does not exclude the application of restrictive measures against Minsk, but “it is not only unilateral, as the United States, but also in a multilateral format”. In other words, the White house will not rush in this matter, and to begin to examine the response of the EU to the Belarusian crisis. There is a second significant statement, Pompeo in this respect: in particular, he does not know whether in respect of Belarus adopted non-economic sanctions or it will be a decision on the supply of petroleum products. “These things have not yet defined”, – said the Secretary.
coincidentally, at the same time with Pompeo’s visit to Europe the second oil tanker with American oil for Belarus came in the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda. Pompeo statement clearly explains and the Belarusian opposition, and the Lithuanian authorities that at this stage the White house is not willing to unilaterally sacrifice its economic interests and to slow down oil supplies to Minsk. It is worth mentioning that February 1, 2020, the Secretary of state visited Belarus, where he met with President Alexander Lukashenko. In addition to the restoration of diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, the parties entered into a series of commercial transactions. In particular, Pompeo promised “to meet the needs of the Belarusian side in oil to 100 percent.” He also said that the situation with human rights and democratic freedoms in the Republic has improved considerably. But in Minsk urged Americans to become more active presence on the territory of Belarus and Pompeo said about the desire to overcome all the remaining problems in relations with the United States.
But if the White house now to stand up for Belarus to protect it from European sanctions? Pompeo speaks on this subject is vague, urging his European colleagues to see how the situation will develop in the Republic in the near future. “We have to work on it,” responded the Secretary of state on questions about the prospects of oil supplies to Belarus and the return of the American Ambassador. But again, this is a message to not only the opponents of Lukashenka in Belarus but also Europe – not to interfere with American economic interests.
I Note that Poland, where Pompeo arrives on Friday, and now has become more than ever before, moderation followed in Belarusian��forests events. On Thursday, the Minister of defence of Poland Mariusz Blashek announced that “NATO should not interfere in the situation in Belarus”. It is obvious that the statement is a response to those European politicians who would like to involve the block in confrontation with Minsk. I should add that the us supply of oil to the port of Klaipeda is carried out with the participation of Polish companies. Earlier Belarus has decided to buy at least 100 thousand tons of oil per month reverse from Poland and to build a pipeline to the Baltic States to receive “black gold” from abroad. During a trip to Europe (during the visit, Pompeo – visit to the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Austria and Poland. – Ed.) Secretary of state was primarily interested in whether the Europeans to abandon the earlier prisoners with Lukashenka’s administration of trade contracts, to help the Belarusian opposition, or Europe limited to the political pressure on Minsk, the personal sanctions against Belarusian officials, but will not affect the interests of the business.
as for the radical Belarusian opposition, it is in all its integrity is unlikely to picket the port of Klaipeda and a tanker with American oil. And neither the Belarusian opposition nor the Lithuanian authorities would not dare speak against oil, the U.S. support for the hated “the Minsk regime” in such a difficult for Belarus minute. As they say, is business, nothing personal against Pompeo and Washington.
