Ms. Tsikhanouskaya called for more resolute actions against the regime. “In the midst of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, we must keep Belarus in sight. Terrible things are happening in our country, unprecedented terror continues, and the regime has begun to trade in sovereignty as Lukashenka's last-ditch effort to stay in power”, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya said.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya added that Russian troops in Belarus are the cost of the support the former president received in 2020-2021 that allowed him to stay in power for so long. “But now, it is directly threatening the sovereignty and independence of our state. Belarusians are forcibly drawn into aggression against Ukrainians, who do not threaten Belarus”.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya and the congressmen discussed how to effectively bring pressure on the regime with maximum impact on it and minimum on ordinary Belarusians. They discussed the effectiveness of financial restrictions, secondary sanctions, as well as coordination with the European Union. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya urged to act decisively and quickly. She drew attention to the activities of the World Bank, which prefers to ignore human rights violations in Belarus.
Leader of democratic Belarus also noted the importance of supporting vulnerable groups of Belarusians: the repressed, human rights defenders, journalists, industrial workers, cultural activists, athletes, students, and small businesses. The support may be in the form of assistance programs or scholarships. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya stressed that Belarusians within the country do not receive enough assistance. In addition, they are sorely lacking information about what is actually happening in Belarus, as the main media are blocked, and journalists are either in prison or in exile.
