Diplomatic adviser to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Dzianis Kuchynski, visited Paris, where he held a series of meetings with senior representatives of the French presidential administration, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and the National Assembly.
During the visit, he met with President Emmanuel Macron‘s adviser for Continental Europe and Turkey, Bertrand Buchwalter, Director of the Continental Europe Department at the Foreign Ministry Brice Roquefeuil, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot‘s adviser for consular affairs, Continental Europe and the Balkans, Patrick Renard, and Frédéric Petit, head of the For a Democratic Belarus group in the French National Assembly.
The parties discussed Belarusian-French relations, the current situation in Belarus and the broader regional context. Kuchynski stressed the importance of keeping Belarus on the international agenda, including during France’s presidency of the G7. He called for issues related to political repression and the release of political prisoners to remain priorities for democratic states.
The parties also discussed holding the Lukashenka regime accountable for crimes against the Belarusian people, repression, participation in Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and other violations of international law. Kuchynski emphasized that accountability should remain one of the key elements of international policy toward the regime.
The sides also discussed France’s current approach toward the Lukashenka regime, including official contacts between Paris and the Belarusian authorities. Kuchynski stressed the importance of maintaining commitment to the common European policy toward Belarus and noted that any possible changes in relations with the regime should be linked to concrete and measurable steps on its part.
Visa issues were also discussed. Kuchynski thanked the French side for the work of its embassy in Minsk and for issuing thousands of visas to Belarusian citizens, and called for preserving opportunities for Belarusians to maintain ties with Europe.
The talks also covered France’s possible participation in the International Humanitarian Fund for Belarusian Political Prisoners, preserving and strengthening the mandate of France’s special representative for relations with Belarusian democratic forces, the development of Belarusian-Ukrainian relations following Tsikhanouskaya’s recent visit to Kyiv, and joint efforts to counter Russian aggression and threats posed by the alliance between the Lukashenka and Putin regimes.
Sanctions policy was another separate topic. Kuchynski called for continued coordination of sanctions pressure on Russia and the Lukashenka regime, including in the preparation of new sanctions packages, and for strengthening efforts to identify and prevent circumvention of existing restrictions.
The parties also discussed preparations for an inclusive national dialogue in Belarus. Kuchynski noted that the release of political prisoners and an end to repression must be the first necessary steps toward resolving the political crisis. In this context, the sides discussed preparations for a future National Round Table as a possible negotiating platform involving representatives of Belarusian society, democratic forces and members of the state system who support Belarus’ independence.
The potential role of France and the European Union as mediators and guarantors of any future agreements within a peaceful democratic transition was also emphasized.
Following the meeting with Frédéric Petit, the parties agreed that the French lawmaker would provide monthly commentary for Belarusian media under the format “Chagall Hour — Belarusian-French Relations.”
The French side reaffirmed its support for the democratic aspirations of the Belarusian people and its readiness to continue cooperation with Belarus’ democratic forces, the Tsikhanouskaya Office said.
