Russia's Lavrov postpones Belarus visit after sudden death of foreign minister Vladimir MakeiRussia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has postponed a planned visit to Minsk following the death of his Belarusian counterpart Vladimir Makei, according to Russian media reports quoting the foreign ministry.Before the controversial presidential elections in Belarus in 2020 -- which were widely seen as rigged and triggered mass anti-government protests -- Makei had been one of the initiators of efforts to improve Belarus' relations with the West and had criticised Russia.A few days before Russia's invasion of Ukraine began in February, Makei promised there would be no attack on Ukraine from the territory of Belarus.A supporter of close ties between Moscow and Minsk, Makei said the West had provoked the war and that the Ukrainian authorities should agree to the Russian terms of peace.In Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that ministry officials were shocked by the news of Makei's death."