Opinion: Ukraine will not support Belarus in its oil-and-gas conflict with Russia
Opinion: Ukraine will not support Belarus in its oil-and-gas conflict with Russia
“It is hardly probable that Viktor
Yanukovych’s government will become united with the
official Minsk. Well, the best action in this situation could be if Ukraine
together with Belarus denied access of the Russian oil abroad. But there is
pro-Russian government now in Ukraine, and main participants of the anti-crisis
coalition, Regions Party, Ukrainian Communist Party and Ukrainian Socialist
Party, are more inclined to support the Kremlin’s position in the Moscow-Minsk
stand-off,” political analyst, MP (Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko) Vladimir
Polokhalo said, "Regnum" reported.
“If
in the end of 2005 and 2006 Ukraine did not dare to turn to the international
community concerning the undisguised gas blackmailing by Russia, Ukraine will
take no action to help Belarus now either. Thus, we remember that it was Yushchenko’s
peaceful pro-Russian position that caused signing of those notorious gas
agreements when the Yekhanurov government practically forced Ukraine to
its knees in front of Russia. So, one can state today that Ukraine is
gas-addicted from Russia and cannot get rid of this addiction,” the MP
believes.
According
to the analyst, today in Ukraine, “excessive Yushchenko’s tolerance together
with Yanukovych’s pro-Russian stance was the reason why Ukraine made no
official statements concerning its two closest neighbors, Russia and Belarus.” “That
is why Kiev will not make friends with Minsk against Moscow. The official Kiev
will never go against Moscow,” Polokhalo said.
“If
one assesses Lukashenko’s actions in this situation, one can say that he
had two reasons for a conflict with Russia. First, there is an example of
Ukraine: the Kremlin’s tough pragmatism does not appreciate tolerance of a
weaker party, and such scenario does not suit Lukashenko. Second, Lukashenko is
now more oriented towards Beijing from which he received serious proposals and,
henceforth, expects support,” Vladimir Polokhalo concluded.
