Minsk enlisted support from Baku in case of pressure from Kremlin

While meeting in a narrow format, Presidents of Belarus and Azerbaijan, Lukashenka and Aliyev, have agreed to develop cooperation from military-industrial to petrochemical sphere. It is worth noting that the Belarusian and Azeri leaders have a relationship of trust, and the Belarusian-Azerbaijani trade turnover has been preserved at the same level, while it has fallen with other countries. In addition, President Ilham Aliyev had repeatedly rescued President Alexander Lukashenka by providing ‘bailout’ loans when relations with the Kremlin deteriorated (2010) and during the financial and economic crisis (2011). Baku also assisted Minsk with Venezuelan oil supplies to Belarus on swap – contracts. Perhaps, Minsk is once again attempting to ensure support from Baku, including financial, just in case the Kremlin starts insisting on the deployment of the Russian air base in Belarus.