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Press Service of the President of the Republic of Belarus/Handout via REUTERS
Ongoing
talks between the United States and Belarus, which are steadily reducing U.S.
sanctions pressure on Minsk, are almost certainly approved by Russian dictator
Vladimir Putin, Natalya Radina, editor-in-chief of Charter ’97, told NV on Sept.
17.
“The negotiations he [self-proclaimed president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko] is holding with the Americans today on lifting sanctions against the Belarusian economy — I am convinced they are taking place with Vladimir Putin’s approval,” Radina said.
“Without permission from the Kremlin, Lukashenko would not have entered into any negotiations with the Americans.”
She also suggested that the gradual lifting of U.S. sanctions on Belarus is creating a precedent for Russia. She suggested that sanctions on Russia could be lifted in exchange for concessions by Putin regarding the Russian economy.
“Even the lifting of U.S. sanctions on some Belarusian companies could allow Russia to circumvent certain sanctions imposed on it by the United States,” Radina noted.
“At this point, sanctions have already been lifted on Belavia, Belarus’ national airline, and Belaruskali, the country’s largest potash fertilizer producer. Sanctions have also been lifted on several state-owned Belarusian banks and the country’s Finance Ministry.
“Now, in exchange for the release of just 25 political prisoners, the Americans are lifting sanctions on the entire Bellesbumprom [timber and paper] conglomerate. It includes companies in the forestry, woodworking and pulp and paper industries, as well as a major chemical company.”
Radina added that the United States was making even greater concessions in exchange for Lukashenko’s release of an even smaller number of political prisoners.
“I believe that the current negotiations we are seeing with Putin’s ally may be part of the Americans’ negotiations with the Russian dictator,” she said.
“In any case, we can now see that negotiations have resumed
along two tracks: Putin-Kushner-Witkoff and Lukashenko-John Coale.”
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