Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya gave an interview to Latvian Radio 4. She talked about Belarusians’ true attitude towards the war in Ukraine and possible developments in Belarus in 2025. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya also shared what she thinks is the most important in the fight for independence. Here are the key points from the conversation:
📌 “Everyone who speaks out against Lukashenka and had to leave their homeland is a target of the regime. Even in democratic countries, you can’t feel completely safe because there are both physical and informational threats. Now the secret services are hunting for information”.
📌 “The main crisis in our region is Ukraine. Our fates are closely intertwined. Russia does not see us as independent states but treats us like children wanting to leave the so-called “family”. We are European countries; we want to return to our real family — Europe. No Belarusian will cross the border as an enemy”.
📌 “The Lukashenka regime is pushing Belarus towards Russia against the will of the Belarusian people. The Belarusian people do not want to be in the same country or in a union with Russia. We want to be in Europe. Lukashenka is dragging us back to the past, to the notorious Soviet Union. It is his childhood dream to live in a single state with Russia”.
📌 “Throughout my political journey, I have never emphasized my status. We know that in 2020 I won the election. Lukashenka believes that in 2025 he will appoint himself president and we will happily recognize him. We will not let that happen! The context has changed, the time has changed, and our democratic partners will not say: Lukashenka elected himself, so we will work with him”.
📌 “What Belarusians hear from Lukashenko now is “see, they are building walls, not giving you visas. They do not want you to visit them, no one needs you there”. Europe must show with all its might that the doors are closed only to the regime, not to the people. So that students — the future generation — can study in Europe and see how everything works here”.
