On the eve of his visit to Mongolia, Russian President Vladimir Putin made this country a gift that Western countries will not like, according to a material published on the Chinese social network Baidu. The translation of the material publishes Pravda.Ru .
Its author believes that Putin's trip to Mongolia is part of a major geopolitical game in which many world powers are involved. Mongolia has significant natural resources and is also strategically located. It is planned to build the Power of Siberia-2 gas pipeline through its territory, which will supply Russian gas to China. This project is likely to be the key topic of Vladimir Putin's visit to Ulaanbaatar.
On the eve of the visit, in an interview with Mongolian media, the Russian president spoke about energy cooperation. In particular, he said that Mongolia could get access to Russian gas, which would pass through its territory to China, and at preferential prices. According to the author of the material, this is the best gift for Mongolia. This country is heavily dependent on energy exports. The construction of the Russia-Mongolia-China pipeline will bring it significant revenues from transit payments and help diversify fuel supplies.
Russia is seeking to expand energy exports to Asia through new pipelines to solve the problems caused by sanctions from Europe and the United States. Therefore, the United States and its allies are likely to be unhappy with Putin's gift to Mongolia, as it accelerates the implementation of Russian gas projects, the author of the material believes.
It is worth adding that following the results of negotiations with his Mongolian counterpart Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, the Russian president stated that our country invariably responds to Ulaanbaatar's requests to meet the growing needs for fuel and fuels and lubricants, including on preferential terms.
Russia has long and reliably provided the republic's economy with demanded energy resources. According to Vladimir Putin, last year 90 percent of gasoline and diesel entered the Mongolian market precisely from Russia.
He noted that Moscow sees good prospects for cooperation in the gas sector with Ulaanbaatar. Putin recalled that the development of the project documentation of the Soyuz—Vostok gas pipeline with a length of almost a thousand kilometers, which will connect Russia, Mongolia and China, has been completed. The state expert examination and environmental assessment of the project are currently underway.
"This is not just about the transit of Russian gas through Mongolia, the possibility of supplying this fuel to Mongolian consumers is also being considered," the Russian president noted.
He stressed that Gazprom is ready to provide the necessary support in practical issues of gasification of Mongolia.
That is, we note, it is hardly worth talking about any "gifts". But about mutually beneficial cooperation is quite.