On October 12, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held negotiations with the Swedish Defense Commission in Vilnius. The Commission includes representatives of Sweden's government, Armed Forces, Parliament, as well as all of the country's political parties.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya called on Sweden to take a principled stance in defending the independence and sovereignty of Belarus by not recognizing Lukashenka as a legitimate leader and not appointing a new Ambassador to Belarus.
The Belarusian leader also emphasized the importance of supporting cultural and educational projects aimed at strengthening the national identity of Belarusians. In addition, she urged the Swedish Defense Commission to support Belarusian volunteer fighters in Ukraine.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya also called for assistance to Belarusians in legalizing their stay in Sweden, mentioning the situation of union leader Ala Tsivirko, who has been denied asylum because Belarus is formally considered a safe country to return to.
