Фото: tsikhanouskaya.org
Denis Kuchynski, diplomatic adviser to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, paid a working visit to London, where he held a series of meetings aimed at deepening dialogue between Belarus’s democratic forces and the UK government, as well as strengthening parliamentary and governmental ties.
According to the Office of the Democratic Forces leader, one of the key meetings of the visit took place with Hena Sha, Special Adviser to Prime Minister Keir Starmer on foreign policy. Kuchynski thanked the UK for its consistent support, including targeted sanctions against the Lukashenka regime and the joint statement with Canada and Australia marking the fifth anniversary of the Belarusian protests. The parties discussed prospects for further cooperation with the Prime Minister’s Office.
Another meeting was held with Mark Clayton, Deputy Director for Central Asia and the Eastern Neighbourhood at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, responsible for cooperation with Belarus’s democratic forces. The sides reviewed the outcomes of consultations between the democratic forces and the FCDO launched in 2025, and discussed the continued development of dialogue in key areas — human rights, culture and diaspora, and independent media.
During a meeting with the UK’s Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Freedom and Democracy in Belarus Wendy Morton, participants discussed the group’s results, plans, and opportunities for further cooperation, including assistance to Belarusians in the United Kingdom.
The meetings concluded with a preliminary agreement to organize the fourth session of the Alliance of Parliamentary Groups for a Democratic Belarus in London in spring 2026. The event will coincide with the presentation of a package of reforms and draft laws for a future democratic Belarus at the British Parliament, to receive expert assessments and recommendations from MPs and legal experts.
Kuchynski also met with Lord Michael German, a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and rapporteur on migration and refugee issues. The discussion focused on the challenges of legalizing Belarusians in the UK and Europe, as well as the potential use of the Council of Europe’s experience in developing practical recommendations to support Belarusians abroad.
Further meetings were held with Liam Fox, former UK Defence Secretary, and Chris Bates, International Secretary of the Labour Party, to discuss support for democratic reforms, security sector changes, and state assistance for Belarusians in exile.
The visit also included a meeting with representatives of TikTok, where the sides discussed ways to improve the visibility of Belarusian content and cooperation with civil society. According to Kuchynski, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s team had received numerous proposals and messages from Belarusian users and passed them on to the company.
The diplomatic adviser also stressed the importance of ensuring greater visibility for the Belarusian language and culture on the platform, and thanked TikTok for its openness to dialogue and for restoring access to the accounts of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Pavel Latushka in Belarus. Both sides agreed to maintain contact and discuss future initiatives to support Belarusian creators and journalists.