MINSK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th January, 2021) Attempts by Ukrainian media to politicize electricity trade between Ukraine and Belarus appear far-fetched and do not benefit the bilateral relationship, the Belarusian Energy Ministry said on Tuesday, adding that the matter belongs strictly in the commercial realm.
On January 3, following a six-month pause, Ukraine resumed electricity imports from Belarus, where a new nuclear power plant was launched not long ago. Earlier this week, Ukrainian media reported that an association of industry workers lashed out at the Ukrainian parliament for not preventing the move, warning that imports of Belarusian nuclear electricity would hit Ukraine's own sovereign energy sector.
"Yesterday, a few Ukrainian media outlets circulated reports about 'the threat posed by Belarusian electric power for Ukraine's energy complex.' In this regard, we would like to clarify that the issue of electricity trade with Ukraine is a commercial one," the ministry said on Telegram, adding that "the attempts by certain Ukrainian media outlets to politicize this process and enforce the idea of 'Belarusian electric power threatening Ukraine's national interests' appear far-fetched and do not benefit the bilateral relations."
According to Minsk, the amount of supplies does not exceed 1 percent of Ukrainian energy market's demand.
The Belarusian ministry said the trade resumed due to the Ukrainian ban's expiry and Ukraine stating interest in buying electricity from Belarus again.
Ukraine abandoned electricity supplies from Belarus in May for the remaining part of 2020. The ban was solicited by Lithuania, which long protested the launch of the Belarusian nuclear power plant near its border.
