Czech President Petr Pavel received the head of Belarus’ United Transitional Cabinet, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, in Prague, the Office of the Democratic Forces Leader reports.
The parties discussed the military and political situation in the region, the process of releasing political prisoners, sanctions policy, Czech support for Belarusians in exile, and assistance to victims of repression. Tsikhanouskaya spoke about her recent visit to Kyiv and meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and stressed that one of the key tasks of the democratic forces is to prevent Belarus from being drawn into the war, noting that the interests of Belarus and Ukraine coincide in this regard.
They also discussed changes in the regional political situation, the outcome of the elections in Armenia, and Russia’s influence on developments in Belarus and other countries in the region.
The sides separately discussed possible scenarios for developments in Belarus, prospects for Belarus after Lukashenka, and steps the EU could take to support the democratic part of Belarusian society. On sanctions, the parties noted that there are no signs of a change in the regime’s policy, as while releasing some individuals, it continues to take new hostages. Tsikhanouskaya stressed the need to support the diplomatic efforts of the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to secure the release of political prisoners while simultaneously seeking a complete end to repression.
They also discussed the International Criminal Court’s launch of an investigation into crimes against humanity and the inclusion of Lukashenka in the process of establishing a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
“I thanked President Pavel not only for his principled position on Belarus, but above all for his support for Ukraine. Because the fate of Belarus today also depends on Ukraine. We spoke candidly about the situation inside Belarus, the threats surrounding our country, and possible scenarios for future developments. We discussed what may come after Lukashenka and how to preserve and strengthen Belarusian independence. We also talked about sanctions — how to make them more effective and how to compel the regime to release people. I know that Belarusians can count on the support of both President Pavel, the Czech government, and Czech society.”, the democratic forces leader said following the meeting.
At the end of the meeting, Tsikhanouskaya presented the Czech president with the book “The Ruins of Belarus,” which was recognised as one of the most beautiful books in Poland. While signing the book, she noted that Belarus has always been and will remain part of European history and the European cultural space.
During her visit to Prague, Tsikhanouskaya also met with Foreign Minister Petr Machinka, Senate Speaker Miloš Vystrčil, and Belarusian organisations in Prague.