During her inaugural visit to Kyiv, Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tihanovskaya praised Ukraine’s resilience against Russian aggression, calling it a source of inspiration for the Belarusian people.
Tihanovskaya made her remarks at a press conference, emphasizing that Ukraine’s struggle symbolizes determination in the face of terror. “Despite Russian terror, Ukraine holds the front, inspires the world, and certainly us Belarusians. Ukraine’s victory is also a path to freedom for Belarus,” she stated.
She arrived in Ukraine to reaffirm the Belarusian people’s support for the country’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Tihanovskaya criticized the unrecognized president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, for aligning the nation with Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
“Lukashenko is a usurper who lost the elections. He does not represent Belarusians and serves only the interests of the Kremlin and imperial Russia. But Belarus is not Russia. And Belarusians are not inconvenient regimes. Belarusians have stood alongside you, dying in trenches since 2014. Thousands have protested against the war, and hundreds remain imprisoned for supporting Ukraine,” Tihanovskaya asserted.
During her discussions with Ukrainian officials, Tihanovskaya focused on enhancing cooperation between Ukraine and Belarusian democratic forces. She stressed that only a free and democratic Belarus can contribute to regional stability and security.
“It is crucial for us that Ukraine sees a free Belarus as a future partner and neighbor, rather than a threat. Only a free, democratic Belarus will be a factor for stability and security in the region, rather than a tool of aggressive Kremlin policy. We need more mutual dialogue, more contacts among people, experts, civil society, and democratic institutions. Putin and Lukashenko have done everything to destroy friendly relations between our nations, but it is our task to restore them,” she added.
Tihanovskaya also announced the appointment of Ukrainian scholar Yaroslav Chornogor as the ambassador for special assignments at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, focusing on Belarus-related issues.
Svetlana Tihanovskaya's visit to Kyiv underscores the solidarity between Belarus and Ukraine against Russian aggression. Her discussions emphasized the importance of cooperation and the vision of a democratic Belarus as a stabilizing force in the region.