Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski, visited the United States to hold meetings at the White House, the State Department, and Congress. He also participated in the Aspen Security Forum. The agenda included the release of political prisoners, Belarus–US cooperation, and regional security.
At the White House, Mr. Kuchynski met with Andy Baker, who serves as the Deputy National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump and the National Security Advisor to Vice President J.D. Vance. At the State Department, he held meetings with the Special Advisor for Europe to Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Landa, Christopher Renda, and the Deputy Assistant Secretary, Christopher Smith, who is also responsible for Belarus.
The parties discussed steps toward the release of political prisoners, support for civil society and independent media, continued Strategic Dialogue between the United States and the democratic forces of Belarus, the Belarus Affairs Unit in Vilnius, and the potential appointment of a US Special Envoy for Belarus.
In Congress, Mr. Kuchynski and iSANS CEO Vlad Kobets held consultations with Republican congressional and Senate advisors, including Sarah Salas (Foreign Policy Advisor to Rep. Elise Stefanik), Paul Bonicelli (National Security Advisor to Senator Rick Scott), Omar Hasina (National Security Advisor to Rep. Kevin Hern, Chair of the Republican Study Committee), and J.C. Lintzenich (National Security Advisor to Senator Thom Tillis). They discussed potential hearings in Congress with the participation of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Siarhei Tsikhanouski later this year.
With members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, discussions focused on the United States’ policy toward Belarus and possible support for democracy and human rights initiatives.
At the Aspen Security Forum, Mr. Kuchynski and Mr. Kobets presented analytical research on the situation in Belarus and strategic position papers. They held meetings with politicians, diplomats, and members of the policy and analytical community, including former US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun (from Trump’s first term).
Dzianis Kuchynski: “The most important thing is that the United States’ support for Belarus remains strong and bipartisan. We’ve focused on dialogue with representatives of the Republican Party and the new administration. We are engaging with various wings of the party, including the more conservative members, as they are closest to President Trump. Our main goal is to convey the position of the Belarusian people and emphasize that supporting democratic Belarus aligns with the long-term national interests of the US and regional security. The key topics remain the release of political prisoners, support for civil society, and deeper coordination between Belarus’ democratic forces and key US institutions”.
