MOSCOW, December 19. /TASS/. Minsk already receives Russian gas at the lowest price of $127 per 1,000 cubic meters, though Moscow cannot subsidize the whole economy of Belarus selling gas at the same price as in Smolensk, President Vladimir Putin told his annual news conference on Thursday.
"First, Belarus has the lowest prices among our foreign partners — $127 per 1,000 [cubic meters], whereas the price for Europe is $200 [per 1,000 cubic meters — TASS]. The difference in return on sales to Europe and Belarus for Gazprom is four-fold," he said.
The weighted average gas price in Russia is $70 per 1,000 cubic meters, Putin said, adding that the gas subsidy depends on the location. Smolensk enjoys the largest gas price subsidies. "Smolensk consumes around 2 bln [cubic meters of gas — TASS], whereas it [supplies] to Belarus a total of 20 bln [cubic meters of gas — TASS]. If we fully subsidize the Belarusian economy that means that Russia wholly subsidizes gas for the whole country, which is really strange," he added.
Meanwhile, President did not rule out that such a subsidy is possible, but after fulfillment of a number of conditions. "Is it possible or not [to sell gas to Belarus at the price equal to the price for the Smolensk Region through subsidizing Belarus — TASS]? It is possible. What is required for that? Common rules as laws are required, including in the field of taxation, subsidized policy, and support of budgets at various levels in certain sectors. Common national bodies are required for that in the field of antimonopoly policy," he explained.
The sides are to put in a lot of effort on that path,"but it is only possible in case there is the political will, the desire of both sides," Putin said. "We have such a desire, we are discussing that with our Belarusian partners and are moving forward," he added.
On December 8, Belarusian Ambassador to Russia Vladimir Semashko said following the talks between the two countries’ leaders in Sochi that Minsk and Moscow would solve the issue of the price of Russian gas for Belarus within two weeks. He added that the two states plan to achieve equal gas prices within two years. Currently the price of gas for the Belarusian side is $127 per 1,000 cubic meters, though Belarus wants to decrease it to that in the adjacent Smolensk Region excluding transportation costs. Semashko also noted that in 2020 the gas price should go down to form the basis for the creation of a common economic space.
The next meeting of Russian and Belarusian presidents on integration is scheduled for December 20.