Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya began her visit to the Netherlands with a meeting of ambassadors from more than twenty EU countries. She addressed the participants with a speech that touched on a number of key issues, from the release of political prisoners to support for civil society. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya also stressed that the democratic forces are preparing for change.
“We are developing reforms, countering propaganda, and seeking allies among the regime’s officials. Many inside the system understand that Lukashenka’s time is ending. When the moment comes, there will be only two paths – to remain under Russia’s control or to move toward the European Union. Our goal is to make a European perspective realistic and an alternative to the ‘Russian world’.
Belarusians look to Ukraine, support it, and learn from it. We understand that if Ukraine wins, we will win too. That is why Belarusians volunteer, provide assistance, and many go to fight.
But military force alone does not work without people willing to fight for their freedom. Support for the Belarusian democratic movement and our society is crucial right now. We do not need weapons – we need support for the media, human rights defenders, activists, volunteers, cultural figures, and democratic institutions”.
