Komsomolskaya Pravda: “Lukashenko comes over to Putin for bread, business”
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko dropped in on the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin Friday night, arriving at his Novoye Ogaryovo residence right after a meeting with President Dmitry Medvedev.
Vladimir Putin greeted the guest by saying, "Mr Lukashenko, while you were dining with Mr Medvedev, I managed to..."
"They gave me nothing to eat," Lukashenko complained.
"... to work out a few things," continued Putin.
But the Belarusian leader interrupted him again.
"Have you had supper yet?" he wondered. "I came over hoping you'd offer me a slice of bread, at least."
"I had a swim, then worked out in a gym," proceeded the host, neglecting the hungry Lukashenko's remark – presumably to get back at him for having failed a Russia-Belarus Customs Union treaty. On the day of signing the important document Lukashenko prevented his prime minister from flying to St Petersburg.
"I had a swim today, too but that was before I caught up with Mr Medvedev," played along Lukashenko. "And you're trying to get out of offering me a meal, aren't you? No way!"
"Okay, okay," said Putin.
"Or maybe you don't normally eat that late?" the Belarusian helmsman said in a pacifying tone.
"I can eat any time of the day," Putin assured him.
"Just kidding," Lukashenko added, to be on the safe side.
With the supper issue settled, the two politicians finally got down to work.
"We are very glad to see you, " Putin began rather ceremoniously. "Especially on our Independence Day. Thanks for accepting our invitation and coming over. We could use the occasion to discuss some routine issues, too."
"Sure!"
"Close neighbours and allied states like ours always have many..." proceeded Putin.
But Lukashenko did not let him finish the thought:
"The Russian President and I discussed a number of issues just now. I said I would move on to see Mr Putin and would give him a detailed account of our heated debate on those issues. But since he [Putin] is a seasoned man, I said, it won't take me long to review the unsettled issues with him."
Then Lukashenko suddenly turned poetic.
"I'm really happy to find myself over here, at your residence, once again, to see the lanes along which we would ride in your automobile and in your battery car [last time around]..." he said with nostalgia. "So it is, indeed, a pleasure to thank you for having me. And we'll talk business, of course, as we haven't seen each other for quite a while now, and we've surely got things to discuss."
Late at night, Putin finally treated a visibly starving Lukashenko to a generous meal.
Larissa Kaftan
