Moscow’s "final warning" to Lukashenko

IDADI YA WATU WALIOSOMA HABARI HII: The Belarusian president has skipped a meeting with Russia’s foreign minister and has criticized Moscow’s position on military cooperation between the two countries.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Minsk on Monday to take part in a joint session of the ministerial board. He will also discuss bilateral relations with his Belarusian counterpart Sergey Martynov. On Tuesday, Lavrov is to open the Russian center of science and culture in Minsk.
The ministerial consultations are expected to focus on strengthening ties within the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan and the preparation for the summit of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Astana.
The meeting between President Aleksandr Lukashenko and the Russian foreign minister was “not planned,” Pavel Legky, the head of the Belarusian presidential administration, told Kommersant daily.
Lukashenko traditionally meets every Russian governor who visits Minsk. He recently met with the foreign ministers of Germany and Poland. The European Union has promised Lukashenko $3 billion in assistance if the presidential election due to be held in December is fair.
At the same time, relations between Moscow and Minsk have soured. In recent months, the Russian leadership has repeatedly criticized the Belarusian leader for “anti-Russian rhetoric” used in his presidential campaign.
But Moscow has not supported any opposition candidate in the Belarusian election. Prior to his visit, Lavrov made it clear that he was not going to meet opposition leaders and they seem to support that approach. Vladimir Neklyayev, a presidential candidate and the leader of the civil campaign “Speak the Truth!” said on Monday that Moscow should continue to distance itself from the Belarusian election campaign.
Meanwhile, prior to Lavrov’s visit, Lukashenko again criticized Russia for its “approach to military cooperation.” Moscow should not sell Minsk weapons for “market prices,” he said. The president also wants to discuss the military cooperation within the framework of the Union State’s council in the near future. Belarus is defending not only itself, “but Russia as well,” Lukashenko stressed.
EU support could have encouraged the Belarusian leader to toughen his position toward Russia, analysts say. But this policy may harm Lukashenko himself, believes Jaroslav Romanchuk, the president of the Scientific Research Mises Center and deputy chairman of the United Civil Party of Belarus.
Lavrov’s visit is Russia’s last warning to Lukashenko, Romanchuk told Kommersant. According to him, Moscow so far “has not imposed any sanctions” against Belarus. However, if Minsk does not abandon its anti-Russian approach, Belarus could face “a real trade war,” he said.