By Tsarizm Staff | May 16, 2020

Even though part of the ‘Union State’, a loose confederation between Belarus and Russia left over from the fall of the Soviet Union, Belarus has pushed to wean itself off Russian hydrocarbons, sourcing needed crude from other nations, now even the United States.

A tanker with 80,000 tonnes of American oil for Belarus will leave the United States on May 17 and is expected to arrive in the port of Klaipeda in Lithuania in early June, spokesman of Belneftekhim oil and gas company Alexander Tishchenko told reporters on Friday, reported Russian state news agency TASS.

“Tanker loading started yesterday (May 14 – TASS) at the Beaumont port. Departure from the port is scheduled for May 17, arrival in Klaipeda [is expected] in early June. Bakken blend, 80,000 tonnes,” the official said.

Tishchenko noted that American oil will be delivered from Klaipeda to OJSC Naftan in the Vitebsk region by rail.

Earlier US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said in a statement that the first batch of US oil will go to Belarus this week. This transaction was concluded with the participation of the US energy trader United Energy Trading, as well as with the assistance of the American company Getka and their Polish partner UNIMOT.

The Kremlin has attempted to force Belarus into a closer economic relationship but President Lukashenko in Minsk has refused, preferring to maintain sovereignty in the face of Russian pressure.

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This piece originally appeared on Tsarizm.com and is used by permission.

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