Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed the final closed-door leaders’ meeting at the Munich Security Conference.
Also speaking at the meeting were
- Wolfgang Ischinger, Chairman of the Munich Security Conference;
- Radosław Sikorski, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland;
- Edgars Rinkēvičs, President of Latvia;
- Frederick Kempe, Chairman of the Atlantic Council;
- Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya expressed the view that the coming one to two years will be decisive not only for Ukraine but also for Belarus. She called for comprehensive support for Ukraine while not losing sight of Belarus. On the one hand, she urged continued pressure on the regime to secure concrete concessions, including the release of political prisoners. On the other hand, she noted that preparations should be made for systemic change.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya noted that there is a consensus within Belarusian society on preserving independence and called on the democratic world to support these sentiments and prevent Russia from turning Belarus into a military base.
She also urged preparation for a post-Lukashenka Belarus, as a transition of power is inevitable, and its nature will largely depend on geopolitical developments. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya emphasized that the task of the democratic forces of Belarus is to return the country to democracy, preserve its independence, and reintegrate it into the international community.
