During their visit to Warsaw, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Siarhei Tsikhanouski met with Polish President Andrzej Duda to discuss further support for the Belarusian democratic movement and Belarusians who have sought refuge in Poland.
The delegation also included the Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet, Pavel Latushka; Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski; and Ms. Tsikhanouskaya’s Non-Staff Advisor on the Implementation of Belarus’ European Choice, Aliaksandr Milinkevich.
In addition to the core topic of supporting democracy in Belarus, the parties discussed the case of Andrzej Poczobut and opportunities for continued cooperation with Polish leadership, including with newly elected President Karol Nawrocki. The Belarusian side expressed hope that Poland’s principled and consistent support for Belarus would continue despite changes in the political leadership. President Duda pledged to consult and help facilitate a meeting between Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and President-elect Nawrocki.
The parties discussed the recent release of three Polish citizens imprisoned in Belarus. At the end of the meeting, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya thanked President Duda for Poland’s unwavering support, including its principled stance on elections in Belarus, welcoming hundreds of thousands of Belarusians, and its political and humanitarian leadership. She thanked Mr. Duda for the invitation to the Three Seas Initiative Summit. She also proposed a public statement in support of the fifth anniversary of the Belarusian democratic resistance, as a sign of the friendship that Poland has consistently demonstrated over the years.
