Russian foreign minister: Switch to payments in foreign currency unlikely
Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov reckons the payments in US dollars and euros will be unprofitable for the Belarusian side.
Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, said that the transition to payments in foreign currency between Belarus and Russia is unlikely. He said this in an interview with Russian newspaper Kommersant.
"As for Belarus and switch to the euro and the dollar, there is a considerable tornover between the two countries with a substantial surplus for Russia. Therefore, if it is switched into the foreign currency, Belarus will have to pay out of its foreign exchange reserves," said Sergey Lavrov.
Earlier Alyaksandr Lukashenka spoke about the possibility of transition to payments in dollars and euros in trade with Russia.
Lavrov said that "trade balance is in our favor". "If we switch trade into euros and dollars, I do not think it will be effective, including in terms of the Belarusian economy. I do not think that this scheme will be discussed in any special way," he said.
Lavrov also spoke about the prospects of the Eurasian Economic Union, which had its supreme council meeting held in Moscow on Tuesday.
"We have created a very promising union. This work was done in record time, if you compare it with similar work done for many years in the European Union. The Eurasian Economic Union is adding new members: Armenia, Kyrgyzstan will join soon. It is a huge market of 170 million people ... The advantages are obvious," said the Russian minister.
Photo: RIA Novosti
