Aliaksandr Lukashenka today received Russian billionaire Vladimir Potanin, who controls Interros and Norilsk Nickel. The day before, Potanin signed an agreement on cooperation with BelAZ to develop and manufacture underground mining equipment.
“Given that Interros is not only Norilsk Nickel but a diversified group, we have a lot to discuss. I think there are many areas of common interest. And I asked our prime minister to brief you in detail on the main areas of Belarus’ development and the points where we can cooperate — we are open to cooperation. And we would like your company, a successful company even in these difficult times, to cooperate with Belarus,” Lukashenka said.
“It was surprising to me that you are also interested in tires produced by our Belshina. And joint projects to service and create new equipment in the Krasnoyarsk region — this is also an interesting and promising project for us. And since you have a diversified business structure, there is also a humanitarian area and the IT sector. We know how to do some things in Belarus, and you know very well what we can do. We are open to cooperation and would like your company, a successful company even in these difficult times, to cooperate with Belarus,” he continued.
Lukashenka also called Potanin a fellow countryman.
“We are fellow countrymen by our roots. Your grandfather was from the Mahiliou region,” he said.
“I am one-quarter Belarusian. Yes, he was a real peasant. The roots are there,” Potanin replied.
“Everything points to you paying attention to Belarus and to us cooperating more closely with you in this regard,” Lukashenka concluded.
Potanin, in turn, said he had considered possible areas of cooperation before the trip. He also said he was pleased that they were already being turned into concrete projects. Potanin also spoke about the document signed yesterday.
“This allows us not only to resolve the issue of supplying our enterprise with mining equipment. Joint cooperation will make it possible to create a new range of equipment which, according to our calculations and expectations, will successfully compete with the best models.
Because we are adding elements related to work with unmanned projects and new types of engines — more economical and safer ones. And in general, we have tried to combine our cooperation in traditional mining equipment and other areas with developments in artificial intelligence and work with big data,” he said.
