Presidents of Belarus, Mongolia meet in informal setting

The heads of state greeted each other warmly. Aleksandr Lukashenko asked Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh how he felt in the Belarusian climate and in the current weather.

“I love rain. Mongolians have a saying that the best person arrives when it rains,” the Mongolian leader noted.

Aleksandr Lukashenko responded to that by saying: “We have the same. If it rains, then a good person.”

The Belarusian head of state said: “I welcome you in my home as my close friend. I am grateful that you’ve made such a long flight and have arrived in Belarus, which is friendly to you.”

He noted that during the official negotiations on 26 October the parties will have to discuss the present and the future of the two countries’ relations in detail. “But to put it briefly, I would suggest that we start with two or three projects that are important for us and for Mongolia and begin our cooperation in order for us to give a start to very intensive, normal cooperation,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

The head of state stressed that Belarus and Mongolia have much in common, including a shared great past. “We fought the invaders together. Khalkhin Gol, the Great Patriotic War [of 1941-1945]. It is all ours.”

“Our children will not understand us if our generations do not accomplish something great, the way the previous generation did. Yes, we trade. But, you must agree, the volumes of the trade we have today are simply ridiculous,” the president said. “This is why the essence of our negotiations will probably be that we have to lay a solid foundation for Belarusian-Mongolian friendship and relations. We will try to be reliable friends for you.”

Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh noted that this is his first visit to Belarus. “I have already managed to get familiar with the wonderful city of Minsk, the capital of the beautiful country of the Republic of Belarus,” he noted.

The Mongolia president shared that on Sunday, 25 October he visited the Museum of History of the Great Patriotic War and also got familiar with the work of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry’s life safety education center.

“The very first thing that was born in my soul was pride that under your wise and far-sighted leadership the Republic of Belarus has developed very much. The capital city of Minsk, with its spacious expanses, nature, and climate, left me with a pleasant feeling,” Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh said. “We make various state visits to other countries, but visiting Belarus and getting to know Minsk is a completely different world. Because, unlike other capitals, this seems to me like paradise on earth. The local climate and nature are exceedingly remarkable. I liked your country very much, including the capital city of Minsk and the infrastructure.”

As for the advancement of cooperation with Belarus, the Mongolia president supported Aleksandr Lukashenko’s proposal about the need to implement two or three concrete projects: “I fully agree with this proposal and fully endorse it.”

Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh recalled that Aleksandr Lukashenko paid a visit to Mongolia in 2024. Now the Mongolian leader is on a return visit to Belarus. “It is vivid evidence that in our souls and in our thoughts there is a striving for fruitful cooperation in the future,” the Mongolia president stressed.

BelTA reported earlier that the Mongolia president is in Belarus on an official visit on 24-26 October. The main negotiation program at the level of the heads of state is scheduled for Monday, 26 October. During the negotiations in Minsk the presidents will evaluate progress in fulfilling the agreements reached during Aleksandr Lukashenko’s visit to Mongolia in 2024 and will outline key avenues for the further advancement of Belarusian-Mongolian relations. The negotiations are expected to focus on the implementation of mutually beneficial trade and economic projects and on deepening interaction in the manufacturing sector and agribusiness. A roadmap on cooperation for 2027-2029 has been prepared for signing.

Aleksandr Lukashenko and Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh will also discuss interaction between the two countries in politics, joint work at the platforms of international associations, and will exchange opinions on the most topical matters on the international agenda.