MINSK, June 1. /TASS/. The West will pay a high price for its threats to use restrictive measures over the transit of natural gas through the Yamal-Europe pipeline, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko warned, as cited by the SB. Belarus Today media outlet.
"I do not think that the Europeans will inflict harm upon themselves. There is no reason for them to shoot themselves in the foot. They are not Ukraine. Therefore, I do not think they will use this lever [the Yamal-Europe gas line - TASS], it would be too costly for them," the Belarusian leader suggested, as cited by the outlet. "They will have to deal with Russia, rather than with Belarus," Lukashenko pointed out. "They understand it is better not to deal with Russia," he added.
The West is pursuing a policy of weakening the Belarusian economy, Lukashenko insisted. "One of the objectives of the West and our fugitives [opposition leaders outside Belarus — TASS] is to strike a blow against [our] enterprises that generate revenue for our budget in order to worsen the situation in the economy and throughout the country. The same goes for the threat of sanctions concerning gas transit over the Yamal-Europe pipeline," the head of state emphasized.
Following the EU summit that touched upon the emergency landing of a Ryanair jet in Minsk, top European bureaucrats ruled to ban flights by Belarusian air carriers to EU airports and over EU territory. Furthermore, Brussels recommended that European air carriers avoid flying in Belarusian airspace. Statements about other economic sanctions followed.