During the summer session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in The Hague, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with members of the Ukrainian delegation to the Assembly. She expressed her support for the Ukrainian people.
The delegation is headed by Mykyta Poturaiev, who also serves as the Vice President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy.
The sides exchanged views on the regional security situation, Belarus–Ukraine cooperation projects, plans within the OSCE, and joint efforts to advance Belarusian and Ukrainian interests. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya called on the Ukrainian MPs to support the resolution on Belarus, which is expected to be adopted during the current session.
The participants discussed a possible Belarusian–Ukrainian program on Ukraine’s public broadcaster that would offer coverage in both languages, provide a platform for the Belarusian diaspora, experts, and volunteers, and address current challenges and developments.
The sides also explored opportunities for cooperation in the information and cultural spheres involving members of the Verkhovna Rada. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya invited the Ukrainian MPs to support the Ostrozhsky Forum in Kyiv, planned for this autumn. She welcomed the appointment of Yaroslav Chornohor as the Special Envoy for the Democratic Forces of Belarus and the opening of the Mission of Democratic Belarus in Kyiv as practical outcomes of her recent visit.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya thanked the Ukrainian side for its cooperation and the progress made in addressing the status of Belarusian volunteer fighters in Ukraine, as well as significant progress in resolving legal stay issues faced by the volunteers and their family members. The sides discussed ways to resolve other pressing issues, including extending residence permits for those without valid Belarusian documents and enabling Belarusians living in Ukraine to open bank accounts. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya emphasized the contribution of the Belarusian diaspora, volunteers, and activists working for Ukraine’s victory, noting that simplifying these procedures would allow them to continue their work. The sides agreed on further steps regarding legal procedures.
The Ukrainian MPs were among those who signed the declaration establishing the “For a Democratic Belarus” Interparliamentary Group within the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
