Фото: "Пул Первого"
On June 3, Aliaksandr Lukashenka held a meeting with Russian businessman of Belarusian origin Dmitry Mazepin. Belarusian Prime Minister Aliaksandr Turchyn also took part in the talks.
Mazepin is the former owner and chief executive of Uralchem and is under EU sanctions. Since 2024, he has headed the Russian Federation of Water Sports.
According to Lukashenka, the idea for the meeting was proposed by Turchyn.
“Aliaksandr Henrikhavich (Turchyn) has been constantly convincing me that it is time to make use of our prominent athlete. I was surprised when a well-known member of the Russian government told me that you had seriously practised swimming with him. You are one of the leading figures in the world of water sports. I think we should make use of that,” Lukashenka said.
Lukashenka particularly stressed that wealthy people should work for their homeland and suggested that Mazepin consider possible areas of cooperation.
“Secondly, he is a wealthy person. And one should know where one’s homeland is. … As I have already said, a wealthy person should work for their homeland. Therefore, we would like — this is our prime minister’s proposal — to think about the prospects for our cooperation,” he said.
Lukashenka also asked where Mazepin’s mother lives. Mazepin replied that she lives in Belarus.
“She should not move anywhere. Because I know that people of that age would never leave Minsk, nor Belarus for that matter. It is a quiet and peaceful place to live,” Lukashenka said.