Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to give the republic another loan of $ 1 billion. This money will replace a loan from the International Monetary Fund, which refused to issue it. According to Lukashenko, the country needs the funds "under COVID". "We have already spent $1.5 billion on people's treatment," the Belarusian leader complained.

ъucsch'ucschLukashenka becomes more and more expensive for Russia

President of Belarus Lukashenko asks Russian President Vladimir Putin to replace the loan from the International Monetary Fund, which refused to issue it for political reasons. The price of the issue is $ 1 billion, Interfax writes, citing Lukashenka's statement during the "Big Conversation" with the media.

"The fugitives raised a howls: you can't give money to the regime," Lukashenka explained, but the republic needed these funds to fight the pandemic. " We have already spent $1.5 billion on people's treatment," the Belarusian president said. Also, according to him, Minsk is discussing with Moscow a deferral on old debts, in particular refinancing for $ 1 billion and the payment of compensation to Minsk for the tax maneuver that Russia is conducting at home, reducing duties and raising the mineral extraction tax (mineral extraction tax).

However, this is not enough for Lukashenka. "If the Russians helped us in addition, I told Putin! " Through the Eurasian Bank (EDB), we would be grateful," the Belarusian president said, noting that he was asking for money "solely in connection with the pandemic."

The Lukashenka regime in the year since the beginning of the protests in the republic and the introduction of sanctions against it by the EU and the United States has already cost Russia $ 1.5 billion. But, according to S&P analysts, this money will be enough until the beginning of 2022. After Belarus, it will need to pay off external debts. And it can only rely on Russia or China, because of sanctions, access to loans from other countries is closed to it.