MOSCOW, February 21. /TASS/. Russian oil producers suggested a new pricing formula to Belarus, where the exporters’ premium is reduced by $2/tonne annually in proportion to the export duty decline, Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters on Friday.

"An approach was offered that addresses the export duty reduction, that is, slashing the premium by approximately $2 per tonne every year, in proportion to the export duty decline. This will make possible to partly compensate the effect from the export duty reduction," the minister said.

The supplies of Russian oil to Belarusian refineries were stopped on January 1, 2020 because Moscow and Minsk had failed to come to an agreement on this year’s supplies. Later, deliveries were partially resumed by the Safmar Group. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko instructed his government earlier to find alternatives to importing oil from Russia. The authorities in Minsk said that they had sent proposals to the Baltic states, Poland, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. On January 26, Belarus received the first batch of oil it bought in Norway via the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda.