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Question of Russian gas price in EAEU will be studied at expert level — Kremlin

On April 14, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko cited the need for more flexible gas prices amid the coronavirus pandemic

MOSCOW, April 15. /TASS/. The issue of the price of Russian gas in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will be worked out at the expert level, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday. He was commenting on the statement of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko on the need for more flexible gas prices amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"This is a matter for negotiation at the expert level in the EAEU. The question has been raised within the EAEU, it can be raised. It will be worked out," the Kremlin representative commented.

On Tuesday, the Belarusian president said at the EAEU summit that now when the Union countries have not formed their common energy market and amid the current crisis, in particular due to the coronavirus pandemic, the price of natural gas should be more flexible and adjustable and the settlement mechanism should be affordable for the consumers. He also appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin so that he could quickly consider this issue.

On April 9, Belarusian Energy Minister Viktor Karankevich announced that Minsk would initiate the lowering of the price of Russian gas for the republic in 2020 following the decline in world prices for energy resources, including natural gas.

Earlier, Lukashenko stated that in the current conditions Russian gas for the republic should cost about $40-45 per 1,000 cubic meters, and not $127 per 1,000 cubic meters, as previously agreed. On April 5, Russian Ambassador to Belarus Dmitry Mezentsev noted that gas prices on foreign markets are set depending on the cost of oil, but if the agreement [on gas supplies] had already been signed, it should be implemented.