“The Deployment of Nuclear Weapons in Belarus and its Implications for Regional Security». Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held an expert side event during NATO Summit
Yesterday, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held a second side event on Belarus during the NATO Summit in Vilnius. The Belarusian leader started by speaking about the death of political prisoner Ales Pushkin. Regarding the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus, Tsikhanouskaya emphasized the following: “The deployment of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus is not just an internal […]
July 13, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with President of the United States Joe Biden
The meeting took place right after President Biden's speech at Vilnius University, which mentioned Belarus and urged Belarusians to keep fighting. “I am grateful to the President for this meeting. I conveyed our position and told him that Belarusians continue their struggle for a free country. It is remarkable that in nonpublic discussions we can […]
July 13, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took part in a high-level women’s event as part of NATO Summit main program
The meeting was attended by the President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, foreign and defense ministers from 16 countries, the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, and the Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament. The Belarusian leader addressed other participants of the event, calling for supporting Belarus and distinguishing between the Belarusian people and regime: “We must […]
July 12, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at “The Deployment of Nuclear Weapons in Belarus and its Implications for Regional Security” expert side-event on Belarus during the NATO summit in Vilnius, 2023
“Dear friends, Let me welcome all of you at our side event. It’s crucial to keep Belarus in focus. I wish to have good news for you, but the situation in Belarus is getting worse, especially with political prisoners. Just yesterday, we heard horrible news about the death of another political prisoner – Ales Pushkin. […]
July 12, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya discussed strategy for Belarus with Foreign Minister of Luxembourg
On the margins of the NATO summit, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg, Jean Asselborn. During the meeting, they discussed the international response to the death of political prisoner Ales Pushkin and ways to bring the regime to justice through international mechanisms and courts. Mr. Asselborn and Ms. Tsikhanouskaya discussed […]
July 12, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Foreign Minister of Belgium on the margins of NATO Summit
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Minister Hadja Lahbib in the building where the main program of the Summit was held. The meeting took place immediately after the women’s event, which was attended by 16 foreign and defense ministers, the President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and the Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament. The meeting with the […]
July 12, 2023
“The decision to separate a whole family came from someone sitting comfortably in an office”. Kristina Rikhter commented on new charges against Zmitser Dashkevich
Kristina Rikhter, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Legal Affairs, commented on the new criminal case against Zmitser Dashkevich: “Today was supposed to be the day of release for activist Zmitser Dashkevich, the former leader of the “Young Front”, a father of four children, and a most decent person. But he never got out as a new […]
July 11, 2023
“His work embodied the indomitable spirit of the Belarusian people”. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya commented on the death of Ales Pushkin
“Belarus lost one of its most talented and fearless sons last night. Politically imprisoned artist Ales Pushkin died in intensive care under unexplained circumstances. The report came from Ales’ wife Janina. Ales was imprisoned for his work, which embodied the Belarusian people's indomitable spirit. He dreamed of a free and democratic Belarus. And now we […]
July 11, 2023
Support for media and education, accountability for the regime: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Foreign Minister of Iceland
The Belarusian leader received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iceland, Thordis Gudmundsdottir, in her office in Vilnius. She informed the minister about the catastrophic situation with Belarusian political prisoners and the need for a coordinated international strategy for their release. During the meeting, they talked about the threats to Belarusian independence, Russia's efforts to […]
July 11, 2023
“The Sovereignty of Belarus and Transatlantic Security”. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held a side event on Belarus during the NATO Summit in Vilnius
“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“, said the Belarusian leader. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya also spoke about what Belarusians […]
July 11, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Portuguese Foreign Minister at her Office in Vilnius
The Belarusian leader thanked Minister João Cravinho for his participation in the side event during the NATO Summit and support for the Belarusian issue in international organizations. During the meeting, they discussed the situation with the placement of nuclear weapons and Wagner PMC mercenaries in Belarus, threats to Belarus’ independence, and the European Union's strategy […]
July 11, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at “The Sovereignty of Belarus and Transatlantic Security” side-event on Belarus during the NATO summit in Vilnius, 2023
“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 […]
July 11, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed a delegation of US Senators at her Office ahead of NATO Summit
The Belarusian leader’s Office was visited by the chairman of the Free Belarus Caucus in the US Senate, Jeanne Shaheen, as well as Dick Durbin, Thom Tillis, Pete Ricketts, Dan Sullivan, and Angus King. During the meeting, the parties discussed the need for decisive international action to secure the release of political prisoners and protect […]
July 10, 2023
“We are defending Belarusians’ rights beyond Belarus.” Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke on her visit to Italy
On July 5–7, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and her team were on a working visit to Rome. During the visit, the Belarusian leader met with the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, MPs and Vice Speakers of Parliament, the leadership of Italy’s trade unions, and Belarusians living in Italy. The meetings emphasized visa issuance in Minsk, […]
July 10, 2023
Visas, Friends of Belarus group, support for volunteer fighters. Results of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s visit to Italy
On July 5-7, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visited Rome, where she met with the Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, MPs and Vice Presidents of Parliament chambers, trade unions, experts, and the media. The meetings focused on the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus, the strategy for the release of political prisoners, sanctions and the isolation of […]
July 08, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the Centro Studi di Politica Internazionale (CeSPI) in Rome, 2023
“Dear Daniele, Dear participants, Let me thank CeSPI for holding this discussion on Belarus. What the future of Belarus will be, it matters today not only to Belarusians, but for the whole of Europe. Unfortunately, it doesn’t depend only on Belarusians, either. The situation in our country is described as a “perfect storm”. We face […]
July 08, 2023
Poland introduced a simplified procedure for Belarusians to obtain travel documents
Kristina Rikhter, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Legal Affairs, commented: “Since January 2022, the working group of democratic forces and the Polish Ministry of Interior have been working on simplifying the legalization of stay for Belarusians. Tangible results have been achieved as a result of our systematic work with Polish partners. From July 2023, Belarusians in […]
July 07, 2023
Second day of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s visit to Rome: Parliament hearings, meetings with foreign minister, politicians, party leaders
With the Foreign Minister, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya discussed assistance to Belarusian volunteers in Ukraine, visa support for Belarusians, investigation of Lukashenka's crimes in international courts, and freezing of Italian and European assets owned by the regime’s henchmen. The minister emphasized the deportation of Ukrainian children to Belarus and the need for an urgent response. Mr. Tajani […]
July 07, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with leadership and members of the Women In International Security (WIIS)
The meeting took place at the Lithuanian Embassy in Rome. WIIS is a non-governmental organization advocating for gender equality and helping to promote women’s leadership in international affairs and security. The organization conducts networking events and mentorship programs for women.
July 07, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Confederal Secretary of Italian Confederation of Trade Unions Daniela Fumarola
Daniela Fumarola expressed solidarity and support for the democratic movement, emphasizing that Belarus is a priority for their organization. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya shared information about the recent repression against leaders of Belarusian trade unions, as well as the ongoing persecution and pressure on workers. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya called for supporting Belarusian trade union initiatives, many of which […]
July 07, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as part of her visit to Rome
The meeting took place at Palazzo Chigi, the official residence of the Italian Prime Minister. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya thanked Italy for supporting the repressed and issuing visas in Minsk. The parties discussed the strategy for achieving the release of political prisoners, defending Belarusian independence, and stepping up the isolation of the Lukashenka regime. The Prime Minister […]
July 07, 2023
Italian Parliament established the largest group For Democratic Belarus
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya participated in the launch of the group and thanked the MPs who joined it. She also noted that the Italian group is the largest group within the Alliance of groups For Democratic Belarus. Italy became the 21st country with such a group within its Parliament, with its group being interfactional and including 38 […]
July 06, 2023
Visas and scholarships for Belarusians, support for volunteer fighters: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Italy
Today Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Antonio Tajani. During the meeting, they discussed the stationing of nuclear weapons in Belarus and the response from the West, as well as the situation with political prisoners, many of whom are incommunicado. Here are the brief results of the […]
July 06, 2023
Speech at Senate hearing, briefing for diplomats from 40 countries. First day of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s visit to Rome
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and her Office team arrived in Rome. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya spoke at a hearing in the Senate’s Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense, where a strategy on Belarus was discussed. The Belarusian leader urged the senators to speak in defense of Belarus' independence, support democratic forces in inter-parliamentary organizations, and take patronage over political […]
July 05, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s keynote remarks at thе Atlantic Council event on Belarus: “After Prigozhin, what’s next for Belarus?”, 2023
“Dear Ambassador John Herbst, Dear David, dear Hanna, dear Shelby, Dear friends of Belarus, I’d like to thank the Atlantic Council for your many years of support of the Belarusian democratic movement. Thank you for keeping Belarus high on the political agenda in Washington D.C. and worldwide. When all eyes are on Russia and Ukraine, it […]
July 05, 2023
Siarhei Tsikhanouski was shown on video
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “It fills my heart with relief to see my husband, Siarhei, alive and strong. Now that he has been shown let us see Viktar Babaryka, Maryia Kalesnikava, Maksim Znak, Ihar Losik, and everyone else held incommunicado. Lawyers must be granted access to all political prisoners”.
July 05, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya starts working visit to Italy
From March 5 to 7, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will be in Rome at the invitation of the Italian Parliament and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani. The Belarusian leader is scheduled to meet with the country's leaders and major political parties in Italy, as well as the Belarusian diaspora Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will speak at hearings […]
July 05, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Eduard Babaryka was convicted for being the son of his father
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today, the so-called court in Belarus handed down another sentence to an innocent person. Eduard Babaryka was sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment. He is the person who spent 3 years in pretrial detention – a record term for Belarus. Throughout this time, the regime simply could not come up with a reason […]
July 05, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at thе Hearing at Italian Senate Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in Rome, 2023
“Dear Senator Terzi, Dear Guilio, Cari amici, care amiche, I feel like I am among friends today. Friends who care about freedom and democracy the same as I do. I am particularly glad to see here Senators Pier Ferdinando Casini, Giulio Terzi, Filipo Sensi. Your support and solidarity inspire Belarusians to continue fighting for our […]
July 05, 2023