Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Secretary General of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Dr. Benedetta Berti, who was named a Munich Young Leader in 2013.
The meeting was held in a bilateral format and focused on the security of Belarus and the broader region.
The discussion addressed how, in recent years, Belarus has effectively become a Russian military foothold in Europe: its territory is being used for the deployment of Russian troops and offensive weapons, including possible tactical nuclear capabilities, as well as a tool of strategic pressure on NATO’s eastern flank.
The parties particularly emphasized that the full-scale Russian military presence in Belarus creates additional risks for all of Europe. Therefore, any negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine must take into account the Belarusian factor and demand the withdrawal of Russian troops from Belarusian territory.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya shared the BELPOL report on the security situation and on how the regime is assisting in the war and proposed holding a closed briefing for the NATO Parliamentary Assembly on military and political developments. She also spoke about the work of the International Parliamentary Alliance “For a Democratic Belarus”, which brings together groups in more than 20 parliaments.
The meeting also covered:
- hybrid operations conducted by the regime;
- the integration of Belarus’ defense industry into Russia’s military needs.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “It is crucial not to lose focus on Belarus, as Russia continues to militarize the country and draw it into the war”.
Benedetta Berti and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya also agreed to hold joint public and closed events on Belarus in May, during the Spring Session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Vilnius. They also discussed Ms. Tsikhanouskaya’s potential address at the plenary session and the participation of a delegation of the democratic forces in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
