Фото: Офис Светланы Тихановской
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Ireland on November 12.
“I conveyed words of solidarity and support from the Belarusian people. We stand with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. Today, more than ever, it is important to step up our support for Ukraine to stop Russian aggression and achieve a just and lasting peace,” Tsikhanouskaya said.
She stressed that the outcome of the war would also determine Belarus’s future, and that the country must therefore be part of the peace negotiations.
“The Belarusian issue must become part of the negotiations on a lasting peace. We must not allow Belarus to remain under Russian control or become a consolation prize for Putin. Russian troops must be withdrawn from Belarus, and our country’s genuine independence and sovereignty must be restored. Without this, lasting security cannot be achieved for Ukraine or the entire region,” the leader of Belarus’s democratic forces said.
Zelenskyy and Tsikhanouskaya discussed the role of the Lukashenka regime in Russian aggression, the importance of preventing Belarusian troops from being drawn into the war, the regime’s responsibility for supporting the aggression, as well as international pressure and sanctions against the regime.
Tsikhanouskaya also raised the issue of support for Belarusians in Ukraine, including resolving problems related to documentation and legal status.
“We want to see Ukraine strong, independent and peaceful, and Belarus free and democratic. Our peoples deserve a safe European future,” Tsikhanouskaya said.
Video: @viachorka