During her visit to The Hague, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Caspar Veldkamp. The Belarusian leader expressed gratitude to the minister and the government of the Netherlands for their principled stance vis-a-vis the Lukashenka regime and their continued support for Belarus.
Key topics discussed during the meeting included:
- The non-recognition of the results of the January 26 sham election;
- Ways to secure the release of political prisoners in Belarus;
- The situation regarding the illegal detention and torture of prisoners;
- Challenges faced by Belarusians in obtaining legal status in the Netherlands;
- Further sanctions against judges, prosecutors, prison officials, and security forces involved in repression in Belarus;
- Support for international initiatives to hold the Lukashenka regime accountable in court;
- Possible negotiations on Ukraine and Belarus’ role in them;
- A potential discussion on Belarus during the NATO Summit.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya called for supporting Belarusian civil society and independent media and funding mechanisms like MATRA and the Human Rights Fund, underscoring that such support is not charity but an investment in Europe’s security and stability.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “I am glad that the Netherlands maintains a principled stance on Belarus and is committed to supporting Belarusians. It is crucial that the government distinguishes between the regime and the Belarusian people, as well as between Belarus and Russia. We must not be lumped together. The Netherlands will not recognize the January 26 ‘election’, will continue supporting our journalists and civil society, and will ensure that Belarus remains a priority on the EU agenda”.
