Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei died at the age of 64, according to BelTA, the Belarusian state news agency, which cited the ministry press secretary Anatoly Glaz.
“She died suddenly a few hours ago … Nothing was foreseen. Yesterday we were discussing the plans for the week. It’s a great loss for all of us,” Glaz stated.
The exact causes and circumstances of the diplomat’s passing were not officially disclosed. Belarusian media reports, including the Nasha Niva edition, suggested a heart attack may have occurred at his home in Drozdy, with a note that he did not seek medical help promptly. There has been no formal confirmation of these details.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow was “shocked by the news” of Makei’s death.
The Russian Embassy in Belarus issued condolences, noting Makei’s contribution to strengthening Russian-Belarusian ties, the Union State project, and its ongoing development.
Makei was widely regarded as a seasoned diplomat and a committed advocate for Belarus on the international stage, with colleagues calling his passing a heavy and irreparable loss.
The European Union Delegation to Belarus also offered its sympathies, extending thoughts to Makei’s family, colleagues, and friends during this difficult time.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko expressed condolences to Makei’s family and relatives as well.
last meeting
Belarus’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes Makei’s most recent engagement was a meeting with Archbishop Ante Jozich, Apostolic Nuncio to Belarus, on November 25. The gathering coincided with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Belarus and the Vatican, with both sides reaffirming a desire to deepen cooperation across multiple sectors and to strengthen interreligious dialogue.
Plans for Monday, November 28 included a slated discussion with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, with the Russian diplomat anticipated to visit Minsk on November 27–28.
Life path and career
Vladimir Makei was born in 1958 in Nekrashevichi, a village in the Grodno region. He earned a degree from the Minsk State Pedagogical Institute in 1980 and completed studies at the Diplomatic Academy of the Austrian Foreign Ministry in 1993. During the 1990s he held various roles within the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including positions in the ministry secretariat, the State Protocol Service, and as a representative to the Council of Europe, as well as serving as a Belarusian envoy in France.
From 2000 to 2008 he worked as an assistant to President Alexander Lukashenko, and in 2008 he led the presidential administration for four years. He became the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2012 and held that post for a little over a decade. Makei was married and had three children: Vitaly, Artem, and Maria.
He often spoke about the relationship with Russia, describing it as close and fraternal. In 2017 he emphasized that these ties were genuine and substantial rather than mere rhetoric.
After Belarus’s 2020 presidential election, Makei acknowledged challenges during that period and urged accountability within the Foreign Ministry for those who disagreed with government policies.
Commenting on protest movements in the country, he recalled discussions with EU colleagues about potential messaging strategies, noting differing opinions on how to engage the public without triggering a wider spillover effect.
Makei had been subject to European Union sanctions since 2010 and Canadian sanctions since June 2022. When the EU imposed sanctions on Belarus in March 2022, he characterized them as attempts to undermine Belarus’s sovereignty and independence. The BBC Russian Service later highlighted his role in facilitating talks between Belarus and Western countries during the 2021 migration crisis and in helping to coordinate discussions between Russia and Ukraine after the latest hostilities began.