“Dear excellencies, friends, I wish to thank Club de Madrid for organizing this great event.I feel like I am among friends here, and I am glad to see so many young people here.
When I came to Madrid, my team told me that it’s super famous for football, among other things. They told me it’s like the second-largest religion here after Catholicism. Some claim that actually, even the first, right?
Anyways, you know, I am not the biggest fan of football. But sometimes I feel that many people in Europe watch the war between Ukraine and Russia as a football match where they prefer to be spectators, not participants. Obviously, no one wants to play against someone dangerous who plays against all rules. Some spectators prefer to stay aside as some countries continue to buy gas from the aggressor, hoping to watch the dramatic match in warmth and comfort.
But here, ladies and gentlemen, we forget one crucial thing: Russia does not want just to win this match but to capture the whole stadium. It's a fight between autocracy and democracy, and Ukraine is at its forefront. If Ukraine loses, the whole democratic world will fail.
As you see, it’s not just a football match. Can we be just spectators then?
Belarusians faced the similar dilemma: to be a spectator or resist. On February 24, when the war started, many had to make a choice. Some chose to counter the war and joined the Аnti-War Movement, while others chose to be spectators watching in silence how Kremlin sent missiles toward Ukraine.
Technically, Belarus was not a part of the conflict but it became a launching pad for Russia. With the permission of Lukashenka’s regime, more than 700 missiles were launched from our territory occupied by Russian troops. These missiles and aircraft targeted Ukrainian peaceful cities and civilian objects such as maternity hospital in Zhytomir which was bombed from the territory of Belarus.
Dictator Lukashenka hoped that this war would become a big victory for him and Putin. They expected to take in Kyiv in 3-4 days, and conduct the joint parade there before May 9. Lukashenka gave up on the interests of the Belarusian people and became Putin’s accomplice and collaborator.
They both miscalculated. They underestimated the power and bravery of the Ukrainian people, but they also underestimated the anti-war sentiment in Belarus society. Around 86% of my fellow citizens claimed they are against Belarus taking part in the war, which makes Belarus. Therefore, immediately after the war started, Belarusians went out to the streets to say their definite “No” to the war. More than 2000 people were arrested for protesting this war since February. Since then a number of political prisoners in Belarus grows every day.
Belarusians continue anti-war resistance. They began disrupting railways to prevent Russian troops from moving to Ukraine. In two months, activists and railway workers organised at least 80 acts of sabotage. The regime got furious: three young men were shot with live bullets. Today, Lukashenka signed a law introducing death penalty for “attempted terrorism”. People protesting the war today are risking their own lives.
I must mention Belarusian volunteers in Ukraine who now fight alongside Ukrainian servicemen. They formed their own Kastus Kalinouski Battalion and helped defend Bucha and Kyiv. Six men were killed during these fights. One of the volunteers is 19-year-old Timur, who was in Minsk in August 2020, protesting against the regime. He was beaten by Lukashenka's thugs and spent weeks in a coma. His mother, already ill, couldn't stand the shock and died. Timur survived and managed to flee to the EU. When the war started, he joined the Kalinouski Battalion. He believes that Ukraine’s victory could give him a chance to return to Belarus.
There are many men and women, ordinary citizens, who took thousands of photos of Russian troops in Belarus and sent those to journalists and bloggers. Many of them have been arrested – the regime is scared of independent information. Yet they made a difference: in many cases, Ukrainians knew about missile launches and were able to prepare.
I often think that this war might not have happened if our revolution had won in 2020. You all remember the marches when hundreds of thousands marched in Belarusian cities. Yes, repressions suppressed the street protest, but they failed to subdue our people. When the right moment comes – hundreds of thousands will come out again.
This week, we marked exactly two years since I decided to run for president after my husband Siarhei was denied the right to do so. I realized that I can’t stay at the spectator’s seat anymore, and also, I just wanted to support him. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison, almost two of which he had already spent in a solitary cell. Rarely, I receive messages from him, and you know, he did not doubt for a single day in our victory.
Siarhei and thousands of other political prisoners showed that Belarusians our brave freedom fighters. They dare to stand for values. That’s why I can’t give up. And I always ask the international community not to give up either.
I am sure that one day the role of Belarusians in helping Ukraine will be reasonably assessed. I will be proud to say that Belarusians did everything to stop the Russian war, unlike Lukashenko and his cronies, watching in silence as the missiles flew from our country. We will do everything possible to put Belarus on the right side of history.
Thank you for your support of Ukraine and your solidarity with Belarus”.
