In Tallinn, Estonia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Margus Tsahkna, received Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On the previous day, Minister Tsakhna had participated in the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels.
The parties discussed the outcomes of the ministerial meeting, as well as the US proposals for ending the war in Ukraine. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya emphasized that a peaceful agreement must be based on Ukraine’s conditions and take into account the interests of the Ukrainian people. They also discussed the potential impact of implementing this plan on Belarus.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke about communication with the United States regarding the humanitarian release of political prisoners and stressed that the democratic forces welcome these efforts and remain in contact with the American side. She noted that, beyond releasing individuals, it is important to ensure an end to repression.
The discussion also covered the relocation of repressed Belarusians from third countries to Estonia, including the most critical cases. The parties touched on holding the regime accountable through international courts and Estonia’s support for specific initiatives at the UN Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly. Estonia was elected to the Human Rights Council for 2026–2028.
They also discussed issues faced by Belarusians living in Estonia. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya noted that, in most cases, these issues are gradually being resolved and thanked Minister Tsakhna for his support. They discussed support for the Representation of Democratic Belarus in Tallinn and the possibility of expanding its work to other countries.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya thanked Estonia for its principled position and solidarity, for organizing the Belarus–Georgia–Estonia forum in Tallinn, and for the work of Special Envoy for Belarus, Karmen Laus, who maintains daily contact with the democratic forces of Belarus. She also highlighted Estonia’s support for the repressed through the International Humanitarian Fund and assistance to independent media via European funds. Minister Tsakhna assured Ms. Tsikhanouskaya that this support would remain consistent.
“We discussed the most urgent matters – the proposals for a peace agreement on Ukraine. This will inevitably affect Belarus as well. That is why any peace agreement must be concluded on Ukraine’s terms. We also talked about media support, assistance to the repressed, and the release of political prisoners. I am grateful that Minister Tsakhna returned early from Brussels specifically for this meeting and was also able to attend the premiere of a film about Belarus. This shows the high priority Belarus holds for the minister”, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya commented following the meeting.
