For Russians, the energy dispute with Belarus was more about politics than money
“It was less about money and more about politics,” said Maciej Janiec, an independent energy analyst in Krakow, southern Poland. “The Russian approach toward Belarus is changing.”
Neighbors of Belarus like Poland and Lithuania, which joined the EU in 2004, are pushing for a consolidated European approach to bringing the country out of its isolation, Janiec said.
“It’s a preemptive move to prevent the EU from increasing its influence in Belarus,” he said. “The Russians are chess players. They’re planning several moves in advance.”
Putin’s decision to undermine the economic basis of Lukashenko’s regime is laying the foundation for a new pro-Russian leadership in Minsk, Sobell said.
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