Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held her first meeting with new Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten. The talks took place on May 28 in The Hague.
The sides discussed support for Ukraine and Belarus in the context of European security, assistance to Belarusian independent media, support for civil society and human rights organizations through Dutch programs, including Matra. They also considered the possibility of the Netherlands joining the International Humanitarian Fund to support Belarusian political prisoners and their families, as well as the international accountability of the Lukashenka regime and the need to keep Belarus on the international agenda.
Tsikhanouskaya urged the prime minister to be a strong voice for a free Belarus within the European Union, including at meetings of the European Council. As reported by the Belarusian politician’s office, Jetten reacted positively to the idea. His predecessor, Mark Rutte, had previously supported a similar practice. Following the meeting, the prime minister confirmed that despite the change of government, the Netherlands’ position toward Belarus remains consistent.
“It is very important for us that the Netherlands maintains a principled and consistent position on Belarus. It is precisely a clear strategy that produces concrete results. Supporting Belarusians is a contribution to the security of all Europe,” Tsikhanouskaya said.
