Łukašenka appoints experienced diplomat Alejnik as foreign minister

December 13, BPN. Alaksandr Łukašenka has appointed Siarhiej Alejnik as minister of foreign affairs, the presidential press office reports.

During a meeting in Minsk, the diplomat thanked the Belarusian leader for his confidence, to which Łukašenka replied: “It won’t be easy.”

Alejnik was born in the Belarusian capital in 1965. He graduated from the Minsk State Teachers’ Training Institute of Foreign Languages’ Interpreters Faculty, and continued his studies at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna.

An experienced diplomat, he has spent some 30 years in the diplomatic service. In 2013-2020, he was Belarus’ ambassador to the UK and the Republic of Ireland. He was appointed deputy foreign minister on August 24, 2020 and promoted to first deputy foreign minister on February 14, 2022.

Alejnik’s predecessor as foreign minister, Uładzimir Makiej, died unexpectedly on November 26 aged 64.