On December 10, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and the Foreign Ministers of the EU member states. During a joint briefing held at the invitation of Mr. Borrell, the Belarusian leader made the following statement:
“I want to thank High Representative Josep Borrell for the invitation to Brussels to address the EU Foreign Ministers and participate in the meeting of the EU-Belarus Consultative Group. We know and feel that the EU stands firmly with the Belarusian democratic movement and does not recognize illegitimate Lukashenka as the president.
The cooperation between democratic Belarus and the EU is truly unprecedented and non-conventional. But we live in non-conventional times, which need non-conventional solutions.
What I want to emphasize the most is that the EU needs a comprehensive strategy to protect the independence of Belarus and set Belarus on the path of democratic development. We need to close loopholes in sanctions, hold Lukashenka’s accomplices accountable, and support the Belarusian democratic movement and political prisoners.
The EU must make it clear: Belarus is not Russia. Belarus belongs to Europe. The future of Belarus is in the European Union. Belarusians want to be sure that their country will not be handed over to Putin as a consolation prize.
I believe that Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia truly deserve EU membership. But Belarusians deserve it too. We know that this path is long, but there is no other path for Belarus.
Belarus is not only part of the problem but also part of the solution. Democratic changes in Belarus will be a significant blow to Russia and the best assistance to Ukraine. The fates of Belarus and Ukraine are intertwined.
We call on European ministers not to recognize the so-called elections of Lukashenko in 2024. It is a deception and a farce. We urge you to impose sanctions against Russia for undermining the independence of Belarus. We suggest initiating an investigation into Lukashenka’s crimes, including the abduction of Ukrainian children from the occupied territories. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of political prisoners, especially those in critical condition. We propose sanctioning judges, prosecutors, propagandists, and military personnel involved in crimes against Belarusians and Ukrainians”.
