Atom expansion: Belarus is ready to build a second nuclear power plant with the help of the Russian Federation

Belarus is ready to build a second nuclear power plant — it can be located in the east of the country and help provide electricity to new territories of the Russian Federation. This became known during the meeting between Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko, which took place on September 26. According to the Russian president, Minsk has become a serious partner of Moscow in the field of nuclear energy. The heads of state also noted that mutual trade exceeded $50 billion, and the volume of investments of the Russian Federation with Belarus reached a record $4.5 billion. Lukashenko also made it clear that he intends to discuss Russian energy prices with Putin next year and assured that Gazprom "will not be left out." What else could the leaders talk about behind closed doors is in the Izvestia article.

How Russia and Belarus cooperate in the nuclear energy sector

Alexander Lukashenko arrived in Moscow the day before, as the head of the Belarusian delegation to the World Atomic Week, which started on September 25. And on Friday, the 26th, Vladimir Putin received him in the Kremlin. During the open part of the meeting, the leaders mainly talked about cooperation in the field of nuclear energy. According to the Russian president, Minsk has become a serious partner of Moscow in the field of nuclear energy. The construction of the first nuclear power plant in Belarus played a key role in this. It was built in the Grodno region.

— As you said yesterday, about 40% of electricity is provided by the nuclear power plant of Belarus. We created a competitor for Gazprom, which supplied just primary energy, and Belarus bought it. Now they are also buying, but, of course, the needs have decreased in this sense," said Vladimir Putin.

He added that thanks to the nuclear project, a corresponding industry has appeared in Belarus. At the moment, Belarusian specialists, together with Rosatom, are building nuclear facilities in third countries.

Alexander Lukashenko noted that it was Russia that taught them how to build nuclear power plants. According to him, Belarus can also manufacture nuclear reactors, but so far there is no such need.

— The only thing we didn't plunge into. But if necessary, we are ready to consider these issues as well: to weld the reactor, the hull, or any other necessary parts and components. There is no such need yet: Rosatom is doing this at its Russian plants," Alexander Lukashenko remarked.

If both sides want, Minsk is ready to build another nuclear power plant, which will be able to provide electricity, including to new regions of the Russian Federation.

— If you approve a project to expand or build a new nuclear power plant, maybe even in the east of Belarus in order, if necessary, to provide electricity to the eastern regions liberated by Russia: Kherson, Zaporizhia [regions], Lugansk, Donetsk [republics], if there is a definite need in connection with the Zaporizhia plant, — said the Belarusian leader.

The issue of building a second nuclear power plant in Belarus is indeed on the agenda, but you need to understand that this project will cost a lot of money, said Nikolai Mezhevich, head of the Center for Belarusian Studies at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, President of the Association for Baltic Studies. According to him, Minsk can indeed build a second nuclear power plant in the east of the country to supply electricity to new territories.

— If you build a nuclear power plant in Gomel region, then it's not far from there to Donbass. But, on the other hand, the Kursk nuclear power plant is already nearby," the expert noted.

In the modern world, nuclear energy is becoming very popular, Vladimir Bruter, an expert at the International Institute for Humanitarian and Political Studies, told Izvestia.

— We see how Europe is suffering, having lost cheap energy resources. It turns out that this is the blood of what is called the real sector of the economy. Moreover, everything related to new high technologies is considered a real sector of the economy, because they also require a lot of electricity," the expert notes.

Thus, if Belarus wants to remain an industrially developed country and grow in this direction, then energy cooperation with Russia is a key moment for it, Bruter added. The construction of the first nuclear power plant gives the country's economy a good foundation for the future.

Gas prices and the Ukrainian crisis

In addition to nuclear energy, Moscow and Minsk are actively cooperating in other areas, Vladimir Putin said. Russia is the first among Belarus' trade and economic partners in terms of accumulated investments, which amount to $4.5 billion.

Lukashenko also noted that there are many issues between the two countries that both leaders will discuss one-on-one.

— What is there to hide, I would like to discuss a number of regional issues with you. You know, there are a couple of issues that we usually have to decide on at the end of the year. Even one question. This is in bilateral relations," he said.

In this case, Lukashenko was probably referring to the issue of energy prices, including gas and oil, Nikolai Mezhevich believes.

— The parties will look for a formula that will suit everyone. It's happened many times. But unlike in previous years, when this was widely discussed in the press, someone blamed Moscow, someone blamed Minsk, now I think the parties will discuss this issue quietly among themselves, without turning it into a subject of interstate disputes," the expert suggested.

Lukashenko assured that Minsk would buy gas from Russia in the same volumes as in previous years, and that Gazprom would "not be left behind." It is possible that the leaders discussed the issue of prices for the coming years behind closed doors.

In modern conditions, the Belarusian market is becoming more important for Gazprom, Vladimir Bruter believes. The gas market for the Russian Federation has changed a lot since the beginning of its development.

— Until recently, even after the start of the SVR, gas was flowing through Ukraine. Hardly anyone suggests that this situation may return. Therefore, Lukashenko says that now he is becoming a much more important figure in the gas supply chains. And he asks us to take this into account," the expert notes.

It is possible that the leaders discussed security issues behind closed doors. Bilateral relations in this area are actively expanding. In particular, in July 2025, it became known that the Russian Oreshnik missile system would be deployed in Belarus by the end of this year. The other day, Lukashenko told reporters that the weapons were already "on the way," assuring them that "everything will be fine." On September 12-16, Moscow and Minsk held joint exercises Zapad-2025, where they tested the use of Oreshnik, among others.

As for the Ukrainian crisis itself, the leaders probably discussed it in the closed part of the meeting.

— I think the Russian president talked about how he sees the situation at the moment and what information he would like to share. But we see that since the meeting in Alaska, absolutely nothing has happened except for Trump's meaningless statements," Vladimir Bruter emphasized.

In addition to issues of security and energy supplies, the leaders probably discussed trade between the two countries. In the open part of the meeting, Vladimir Putin noted that the annual trade turnover has exceeded $50 billion and continues to grow even from such a large base.