It is important for Ukraine to maintain relations with Belarusian democratic forces, and Kyiv will appoint a special envoy on Belarus in the near future, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in an interview with European Pravda.
He stressed that the Belarus track requires a separate and systematic policy from Ukraine.
“For us, it is indeed important to maintain relations with representatives of democratic Belarus. We believe that the time will come when Belarus — a democratic Belarus — will become the fourth participant in the Lublin Triangle,” Sybiha said.
According to the minister, Ukraine’s special envoy on Belarus will maintain contacts with Belarusian democratic forces.
“I have now received an instruction from the president to appoint a special representative, and in the near future I will submit a кандидатура for consideration. We are still determining the title of this position, but it will be an official authorized to maintain contacts with democratic Belarusian forces,” Sybiha explained.
Sybiha said that Kyiv considers Alyaksandr Lukashenka a “so-called president” and does not view him as the legitimately elected president of Belarus, while referring to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya as one of the leaders of Belarusian democratic forces.
“We proceed from the fact that she is one of the leaders of the democratic Belarusian forces. That is why you saw her meeting with President Zelenskyy. By the way, the conversation was very substantive and will have further development,” the Ukrainian foreign minister said.
Sybiha also said that Ukraine values the Kalinoŭski Regiment, which is fighting as part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The head of Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry commented on the dialogue between the United States and Belarus, saying he does not believe the process will lead to Lukashenka’s exit from isolation.
“We see that Lukashenka is playing a game. He is trying to sit on several chairs at once. Lukashenka is looking for ways to secure his future, because he understands very well how all this will end. But this absolutely does not mean his exit from isolation.
The dialogue with the United States concerns certain issues related to human rights and the release of political prisoners. And the fact that some prisoners were returned with Ukraine’s involvement is also recognition of our role,” Sybiha said.
When asked about Ukraine’s role in the liberation or de-occupation of Belarus, Sybiha said that Kyiv’s role in regional geopolitical processes should grow.
“I generally believe that Ukraine’s role on the international stage, including in regional geopolitical processes, should increase. Including on the Belarus issue, as I would call it,” the minister said.
Sybiha also stated that the Belarusian regime and Lukashenka personally must bear responsibility for complicity in Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
Earlier, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in Vilnius on January 25. Zelenskyy invited Tsikhanouskaya to visit Kyiv, while the leader of Belarusian democratic forces proposed appointing a special envoy on Belarus.
