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Kremlin hopes situation between Belarus and EU will not harm Russia’s gas obligations

Belarus and President Lukashenko are becoming objects of unprecedented pressure from a number of Western countries, Dmitry Peskov pointed out

MOSCOW, December 1. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin is aware of the harsh answers of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to Europe about his readiness to stop the transit of Russian gas, but expects that this will not derail Russia's obligations to the EU, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

The statements that Minsk is ready to stop the transit of gas from Russia to Poland if Warsaw closes the Polish-Belarusian border are "position of the President of Belarus, of a sovereign, independent state," Peskov stressed.

He added that "Belarus and President Lukashenko are becoming objects of unprecedented pressure from a number of Western countries, which is completely unjustified and aggressive." In turn this "cannot but cause a very tough counter-reaction from Belarus," he noted.

"In this regard, the President [of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin] expressed his understanding of tough repsonses. But on the other hand, the President expects that this will in no way lead to a disruption in the fulfillment of our obligations to European gas recipients, especially at this difficult time for Europeans," Peskov said.

When asked if the relations between Moscow and Minsk will worsen if Belarus decides to halt gas transit Peskov said: "We would not like even to speculate on such situations."

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