During his visit to Latvia, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski, took part in a panel discussion titled “Between Solidarity and Caution: Perceptions of Belarus in Latvian, Lithuanian, and Estonian Societies”.
The discussion focused on how Baltic societies perceive Belarus and Belarusians, the impact of the Lukashenka regime on regional security, and how European countries can support Belarusian society without further isolating Belarusians.
The event also featured:
- Andrei Kazakevich, Academic Director of the Political Sphere Institute for Political Studies;
- Uldis Mikuts, Director of the First Bilateral Relations Department at Latvia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It was moderated by Beāte Livdanska, a researcher at the Latvian Institute of International Affairs.
In his remarks, Dzianis Kuchynski focused on key regional security issues, debunked myths about Belarusian society’s support for the war, and called for distinguishing between the regime and the Belarusian people.
He raised several key points.
- The Belarusian people are not the regime. The overwhelming majority of Belarusians reject the war and the “Russian world” ideology and support Ukraine. The silence inside the country is the result of six years of repression.
- The Lukashenka regime poses a security threat to Latvia. Belarusian territory has effectively been turned into a Russian military foothold. The deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons and plans to deploy Oreshnik missiles are taking place against the will of the Belarusian people. At the same time, the regime continues to use hybrid tools against neighboring countries.
- A democratic Belarus is part of the solution to regional security. “A free, independent, and European Belarus is a necessary condition for the long-term security of Latvia and the entire region. Any alternative means maintaining a Russian military presence directly on your border”, Mr. Kuchynski noted.
- Belarusians contribute to our common security. Belarusian NGOs in exile, including BELPOL, and think tanks such as iSANS, help expose the regime’s agent networks and cooperate with European institutions. In addition, thousands of Belarusian volunteers have been fighting for Ukraine since 2022. Dzianis Kuchynski called on European countries to provide volunteers and veterans with legal status, rehabilitation, and the support they need.
- Belarusians in exile are a resource for Europe, not a threat. More than 790,000 Belarusians have been forced into exile because of repression and the regime’s policies, including following the termination of access to consular services. Despite existing barriers, Belarusians are developing businesses, creating jobs, and making a significant contribution to EU economies. More than 9,300 companies with Belarusian capital operate in the European Union.
- Belarusians need humanitarian and legal solutions. Dzianis Kuchynski thanked Lithuania, Spain, and Sweden for measures that allow Belarusians to obtain necessary documents and remain legally in these countries. He called on Latvia and other EU countries to adopt similar approaches and expressed concern about restrictions on property purchases that could effectively treat victims of the regime in the same way as citizens of an aggressor state.
At the end of the discussion, Dzianis Kuchynski outlined a key principle for dealing with Belarus: maximum pressure on the regime and maximum openness toward Belarusian society. This means maintaining sanctions, holding the regime accountable, and refusing to legitimize it, while continuing to support independent media and civil society, provide humanitarian solutions for Belarusians, and reject collective restrictions.
