The Foreign Minister of Belarus Vladimir Makei has died suddenly at the age of 64, the country’s foreign ministry said Saturday.
“Vladimir Makei, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, has suddenly passed away today,” the Foreign Ministry said in its official Facebook account, without providing more details about the circumstances surrounding the foreign minister’s death.
The President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on Saturday expressed his condolences to the family and friends of Makei, according to a statement published on the presidential website.
Makei had been scheduled to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that it was mourning the news of his death, describing him as a “true friend” of Russia.
“The leadership and staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation deeply mourn the untimely death on November 26 of this year of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Vladimir Vladimirovich Makei,” the statement read.
“An outstanding diplomat and statesman, a true patriot who devoted his life to serving his Motherland and protecting its interests in the international arena, has passed away.
“Vladimir Vladimirovich Makei was a true friend of Russia, who made a unique contribution to the comprehensive development of broad bilateral cooperation, the integrating establishment of the Union State, and the strengthening of ties between the fraternal peoples of Russia and Belarus.
“Vladimir Vladimirovich Makei will forever remain in our hearts as a man of a broad soul and deep wisdom, a brilliant professional, colleague and faithful comrade, who won the love and respect not only of the citizens of his country, but also far beyond the borders of Belarus.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that Lavrov’s scheduled visit to Minsk on Monday had been postponed following Makei’s death. (CNN)