“Dear Excellencies,
Dear friends of Belarus,
I am privileged to welcome you here today at this side event. We are gathering here amid a truly historic NATO Summit. This summit is, to some extent, a test for the Transatlantic community – a test of determination and unity.
I wish the Transatlantic community stayed united in support of Ukraine, just as it was united in support of Belarus in 2020, since the very beginning of our peaceful uprising.
Belarusians have learned that only united we can stop tyranny and oppression. Only united can we build a prosperous and peaceful future for our nations.
I do believe that Belarusians deserve such a future. Belarusians deserve to live in freedom, democracy, and peace. Belarusians deserve a place in the European family of nations.
It sounds like a dream, but this dream is worth fighting for. And I want us today to discuss how to make this dream reality.
In this discussion, I will be joined by remarkable statesmen and stateswomen. I want to thank Minister Gylfadóttir, Minister Cravinho, Secretary of State Tierala, Vice-Minister Adomenas for accepting my invitation, for your extraordinary solidarity and assistance.
Separately, I’d like to thank Lithuania. Lithuania, alongside Poland, contributed the most to our struggle for a free and independent Belarus, gave refuge to thousands of freedom fighters, became our voice in the international arena. We will never forget. Thank you, Mantas.
I know that all eyes are on Ukraine and Russia now. But it’s often forgotten that Belarus is part of this security puzzle that we are trying to solve.
It’s absolutely clear to me that, without a free democratic Belarus, there can’t be a safe Europe. Belarus is a key factor in our region’s security.
Russia understood it a long time ago. This is why it invests so much in supporting Lukashenka’s illegitimate regime – to increase its dependence and turn it into its own instrument.
In 2020, Belarusians made their choice. Belarusians chose democracy over tyranny, the rule of law over lawlessness, and Europe over Russian domination.
This directly endangered Russian imperial ambitions. Russia reacted to Belarusian peaceful protests by giving Lukashenka all the political, military, and financial support he needed to stay in power.
With the support of Putin, the regime unleashed terror against the Belarusian people. Feeling impunity, the regime started terrorising neighbours, hijacked aircraft and orchestrated a migration crisis. The Belarusian crisis spilled over the entire region.
Two years later, we could see the consequences of that. Lukashenka's regime became a tool in Russian aggression against Ukraine, an accomplice in Russian war crimes.
The two dictators share the same view of the world. They try to revive the Soviet Union or Russian Empire. They think in terms of spheres of influence. It’s absolutely incompatible with the aspirations of the Belarusian people.
Russia is slowly but steadily incorporating Belarus. There are Russian troops stationed in оur country, and Russian nuclear weapons are about to be deployed. It violates the non-proliferation agreement, the Budapest memorandum, Belarusian constitution, and, most importantly, it goes against the will of the Belarusian people.
According to surveys, only 20% of Belarusians support the deployment of nuclear weapons. Only 4% support the unification of Belarus and Russia. Only 3% believe that the Belarusian army should enter the war against Ukraine. These numbers show that Belarusians don’t support Russian imperial ambitions, despite brainwashing propaganda.
We realise that Belarus' future is intertwined with the future of Ukraine. If Ukraine succeeds on the battlefields, Belarus will get a chance to get out of Russian claws. However, changes can come to Belarus even earlier. We felt it two weeks ago during Prigozhin’s mutiny. It galvanised Belarusian society. It also showed the fragility of Lukashenka’s regime. Any turbulence can lead to its collapse. And the collapse of Lukashenka’s regime will be the best help to Ukraine and a huge blow to Putin.
Therefore, I ask the international community to keep Belarus in focus. We should not allow Belarus to become a consolation prize to Putin. No peace will be stable until Belarus is free – free of tyranny and Russian presence.
We want it to be clearly said by our Western partners: there will be international guarantees for Belarusian independence, for the non-nuclear status of Belarus, and for its future integration within European and transatlantic structures. It must be part of the future post-war arrangement.
We must not be afraid to confront Russian interests in our region. In the end, it is Russia who chose the path of confrontation. We must not let Putin’s Russia deprive the Belarusian people of the possibility to choose the European way of development.
When Belarusian democratic forces come to power, the constitutional order will be restored. Belarus will denounce all agreements signed by the illegitimate ruler since 2020. We will leave CSTO, the Union state with Russia, and the Eurasian Economic Union. We must not be in a military and political union with an aggressor that undermines sovereignty and disrespects the national identity of its neighbours.
Belarus must not be a Kremlin’s victim and a threat. Instead, it should be a donor of security and peace. We will restore good relationships with all the neighbours, especially with Ukraine. We will demonstrate our commitment to transatlantic values not only by words but deeds.
We will need a new regional Marshall Plan, a plan of reconstruction that will also include Belarus. It will help us to conduct all necessary reforms and turn Belarus on the path of democratic development.
There is no need to wait for changes. Already now, we can start cooperation between NATO and democratic Belarus within the “Partnership for Peace” program. It will help us to build mutual trust and a solid basis for the future.
We can also create a consultative group between NATO and democratic forces, as was done with the EU. It could be a platform for exchanging ideas and elaborating common strategies.
I also call on NATO members to help Belarusian democratic forces and civil society, especially Belarusian independent lawyers, to investigate Lukashenka’s complicity in war crimes against Ukraine, including the deportation of Ukrainian children to Belarus. Thus, one day, all those responsible for these crimes will be brought to justice.
When you discuss the tribunal on Russia, don’t forget about Lukashenka. He is a criminal, not the President. Issuing the arrest warrant on him would be a strong message to the Belarusian people and will foster the split of elites. Accountability is a must if we want to prevent the metastasis of tyranny.
Dear friends,
I think it's very important right now to give a beam of hope to Belarusians. Hope for a future they deserve and have chosen. I think that giving them hope could be one of the positive results of this NATO Summit and this side event in particular.
I know that the path to democracy and peace is not an easyer one, but it’s the only right one. Let’s walk this path together.
Thank you very much”.
