From November 3 to 7, 2025, the Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, paid a visit to Australia and New Zealand, the first visit of this level in the history of independent Belarus.
She and her team aimed to strengthen international support for the democratic forces of Belarus, expand cooperation with the governments of the region, and meet with the Belarusian diaspora and media.
New Zealand
In Wellington, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, to discuss support for Belarus’ democratic forces, aid for the repressed, and the country’s potential participation in the International Humanitarian Fund.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya also gave a lecture at the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, co-organized with Victoria University of Wellington. More than 100 experts, students, diplomats, and journalists attended the event to discuss the situation in Belarus, the war in Ukraine, and global challenges to democracy.
“I felt great interest in Belarus. For many in New Zealand, it was a revelation that our struggle for freedom concerns them too – because we are all fighting for the same values”, comments Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
She also met with the EU Ambassador, journalists, and members of the Belarusian diaspora in Auckland and Wellington.
Sviatlana honored Belarusians who fought as part of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac) during World War I and called on New Zealand to join international initiatives in support of Belarus.
The discussions focused on:
- support for civil society and independent media;
- coordination of sanctions;
- New Zealand’s participation in the International Humanitarian Fund;
- support for investigations of the Lukashenka regime’s crimes at the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice;
- assistance to Belarusian trade unions, journalists, human rights defenders, and women’s initiatives.
Australia: High-Level Meetings in Sydney, Canberra, and Melbourne
Sydney
- Meetings with former Prime Ministers Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison, focusing on support for Ukraine and Belarus and resistance to the global alliance of dictatorships.
- Anzac commemoration ceremony honoring Belarusians who fought in the force.
- Meeting with the Belarusian diaspora at the Esperanto House, where Ms. Tsikhanouskaya expressed gratitude for their solidarity and activism.
- Interviews for ABC Radio Australia, The Sydney Morning Herald, CBS World Australia, and other media outlets.
Canberra
- Official meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, discussing support for Ukraine, sanctions against Russia and the Lukashenka regime, and assistance to independent media and repressed Belarusians.
- Meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, who had invited Ms. Tsikhanouskaya to Australia.
- Meeting with House of Representatives Speaker Milton Dick, discussing the possible Parliamentary Group “For Democratic Belarus”, support for Belarusian media and civil society, and cooperation within the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
- Meetings at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), representatives of the Labor Party and the Liberal Party, and Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko.
- Speeches at the Australian National University and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, as well as a keynote address at a conference on authoritarian convergence.
- Briefing for EU and G7 ambassadors, presenting the visit’s results and the New Belarus Strategy.
- Interviews with ABC and Sky News Australia about the situation in Belarus, the war in Ukraine, and global solidarity against dictatorships.
Melbourne
- Meeting with Council of Trade Unions President Michelle O’Neil to discuss support for Belarusian workers and political prisoners.
- Meetings at the Parliament of Victoria – discussing the potential “For Democratic Belarus” Group and a possible rehabilitation program for Belarusian volunteers who fought for Ukraine.
- Lecture at the Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA).
- Visit to Swinburne University, including meetings with leadership and students and a public lecture titled “From Prison Cells to Battlefields: Belarusians and Ukrainians Against the ‘Russian World’”, followed by discussions with the academic and diplomatic community.
- Flower-laying ceremony at the Shrine of Remembrance.
During these events, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya highlighted key issues:
- international accountability and justice;
- support for Belarusian journalists, trade unions, and human rights defenders;
- Australia’s participation in sanctions against the Lukashenka and Putin regimes;
- Belarus–Australia ties in education and culture;
- protection of the Belarusian diaspora from persecution and issues of legal stay and recognition of expired passports.
“These were valuable meetings and an important visit. We are seeking and finding allies of free Belarus all over the world. After this visit, our cooperation will reach a new level, and Australia and New Zealand will step up their engagement on Belarus. We also agreed on practical steps and will gradually implement them”, notes Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
The delegation included Chief Advisor Franak Viacorka, Diplomatic Advisor Dzianis Kuchynski, and Interparliamentary Cooperation Advisor Anatoli Liabedzka. The visit took place at the invitation of Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong.
