On the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who is the Co-Chair of the bipartisan Free Belarus Caucus in the US Senate and one of the most active US lawmakers on Belarus. The caucus was established in 2021.
They discussed the future of US policy toward Belarus, the work of the Free Belarus Caucus, and continued bipartisan support for Belarus’s democratic forces in Congress.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the humanitarian efforts of the United States and Special Envoy John Coale, which contributed to the release of political prisoners. At the same time, she stressed that the next priorities should be ending repression, securing a political amnesty, and ensuring that Belarusians can return home safely.
Senator Shaheen and Ms. Tsikhanouskaya also discussed US sanctions policy, as well as new sanctions initiatives targeting Russia and persons and entities helping it wage its war against Ukraine.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya thanked Jeanne Shaheen for her longstanding support for Belarus. Ms. Shaheen was one of the founders of the Free Belarus Caucus, has consistently advocated for Belarus’s democratic forces, called for the release of political prisoners, and co-sponsored bipartisan legislative initiatives on Belarus.
In recognition of her longstanding work, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya presented Jeanne Shaheen with the United Transitional Cabinet’s “For Distinguished Work for the Benefit of Belarus” Medal.
