Polish diplomat: Łukašenka complained of brazen Russian leaders in 2002

October 16, Pozirk. Alaksandar Łukašenka criticized Russian leaders as “brazen people without conscience” in 2002, Mariusz Maszkiewicz, a former Polish ambassador to Belarus, recalled during an online meeting hosted by Belarusian Free University yesterday.
As Maszkiewicz was completing his stint in Minsk 22 years ago, he met Łukašenka who was furious after Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin had invited Belarus to join the Russian Federation.
Shortly before their meeting, Putin had rejected the Belarusian ruler’s request for economic concessions.
“We need to understand what we want and what our partners want. Flies are separate and cutlets are separate,” Putin said.
“Łukašenka was so angry that he wanted to demonstrate that he could be friends with Poland. That is why he agreed to meet me,” Maszkiewicz said, noting that Łukašenka even called him a friend of Belarus although the envoy had a reputation as a critic of the Belarusian government.
Moreover, at the time, Minsk accused Warsaw of aggressive intentions towards Belarus and bilateral relations started deteriorating.
Maszkievicz said that he had suggested that Belarus follow Russia’s lead in following through with market-oriented reforms, but Łukašenka retorted that the ambassador did not know “who is Putin” and that he would see who he is in the future.
According to Maszkievicz, the Belarusian strongman made it clear that he did not trust the Russian leaders and described them as brazen Federal Security Service (FSB) people without conscience.
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja welcomes new EU sanctionsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsNew terrorist designations announcedThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsOpposition urges Washington to appoint special envoy for BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityŁukašenka issues edict to detail wartime transport requisitioning proceduresThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Politics, SecurityOpposition politician Łatuška welcomes EU sanctions as show of strengthThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- PoliticsTbilisi court rules to free Belarusian asylum seekerThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Economy
- PoliticsInterior ministry brands one Estonian, 31 Belarusians as extremistsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- PoliticsFree Belarus Museum opens new exhibition on third anniversaryThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyGovernment to build new pulp and paper mill in Viciebsk regionThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- EconomyKlaipėda terminal keeps up pressure on Lithuanian government to resume transit of Belarus’ fertilizersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: new wave of arrests targeting 2020 protestersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SportBelarusian gymnasts to rejoin international competitionsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBiełavija to open new China linkThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsBelarus and Laos sign visa exemption dealThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics