Belarus Foreign Minister Dies Suddenly at 64 Amid Speculation He’d Been Discussing Secret Peace Plan to End Ukraine Conflict

Belarusian foreign minister Vladimir Makei died suddenly today at the age of 64.

“His sudden death came the day after he met with the Pope’s envoy Ante Jozić amid speculation they were discussing a secret peace plan over the war in Ukraine,” Daily Mail reports.

Makei was due tomorrow and Monday to host Vladimir Putin’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in Minsk.

The Russian foreign minister’s spokesperson said he was ‘shocked’ at his passing.

Belarus foreign minister Makei dies suddenly – Belta https://t.co/PSg4lgvcFe pic.twitter.com/aEs9J9CGp6

— Reuters (@Reuters) November 26, 2022

The Foreign Minister of Belarus Vladimir Makei has died at the age of 64, the country’s foreign ministry says https://t.co/CZ1fqEpAa4

— CNN International (@cnni) November 26, 2022

Belarus foreign minister Makey died suddenly, a day after meeting a Vatican envoy. He used to be touted as a possible liberal successor to Lukashenko. I spent an hour with him in 2019. He told me that Belarus seeks “equidistance” from Russia and the West. How things have changed.

— Yaroslav Trofimov (@yarotrof) November 26, 2022

Cont. from the Daily Mail:

No cause of death was given – but several sources speculated that his demise could be suspicious.

Makei was described as ‘healthy’.

He was seen as eyeing the Belarus presidency in the event of Lukashenko quitting – and was a former chief of staff to the tyrant.

He had been trained in the Soviet GRU – the military intelligence agency – and had a reputation as Lukashenko’s ‘grey cardinal’.

The pro-war Russian Telegram channel Mardan posted: ‘Strange death. Just in time. Just yesterday he discussed a peace plan with the envoy of the Pope.’

Narrative channel said: ‘Makei was Lukashenko’s main channel of communication with the West.

‘A career intelligence officer, Makei was closely associated with Austrian intelligence and the Austrian elites. Makei provided a liberal trend.

‘He often carried out delicate assignments from the Kremlin – and helped build special contacts between Moscow and the Austrians.

‘At the same time, he was not a supporter of the Kremlin.’

Another channel Legitimniy stated: ‘He was the main covert lobbyist for Western interests in Minsk.

‘Is it a coincidence? Or did someone take him out because he didn’t deliver on what he promised?

‘Or, on the contrary, was he suspected of ‘draining information’?’

Reuters noted:

Before the presidential elections and mass anti-government protests in Belarus in 2020, Makei had been one of the initiators of efforts to improve Belarus’ relations with the West and had criticised Russia.

However, he abruptly changed his stance after the start of the protests, saying they were inspired by agents of the West.

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February, Makei, a supporter of close ties between Moscow and Minsk, said the West had provoked the war and that the Ukrainian authorities should agree to the Russian terms of peace.

A few days before the start of the war, Makei promised that there would be no attack on Ukraine from the territory of Belarus. A few days later, Russian troops proved that he was wrong.

“We are shocked by the reports of the death of the Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Vladimir Makei,” Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova posted in her Telegram channel. “Official condolences will be published soon.”