Фото: пресс-служба Светланы Тихановской.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha held a joint press conference following their bilateral meeting in Kyiv. Tsikhanouskaya thanked Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the head of Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry for the invitation and stressed Belarusians’ solidarity with the Ukrainian people, according to her press service.
According to the leader of Belarusian democratic forces, this was her first working visit to Ukraine. She said that Belarusians support Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Tsikhanouskaya separately stressed that the regime of Aliaksandr Lukashenka had made Belarus “an accomplice to aggression” but, according to her, does not represent the Belarusian people.
“Lukashenka is a usurper who serves exclusively the interests of the Kremlin. Belarus is not Russia, and Belarusians are not equal to the regime”, she said.
Tsikhanouskaya also recalled that Belarusians had taken part in events in Ukraine since the Maidan period and have been fighting on Ukraine’s side since 2014. According to her, thousands of Belarusians opposed the war and hundreds were arrested for supporting Ukraine.
During the talks, the sides discussed further cooperation between Ukraine and Belarusian democratic forces. Tsikhanouskaya said it was important for Belarusian democratic forces that Ukraine view a future free Belarus as a partner and neighbour rather than as a threat.
She also called for expanding contacts between the societies of the two countries, the expert community and democratic institutions.
“Putin and Lukashenka have done everything to destroy friendly relations between our peoples, but we will certainly restore them”, Tsikhanouskaya said.
According to her, Belarusians and Ukrainians “deserve a peaceful, European and democratic future” and should act together to achieve it.