On March 6, a meeting of the EU Consultative Group with the democratic forces and civil society of Belarus took place in Brussels, continuing the EU’s official dialogue with the Belarusian community.
The Consultative Group aims to coordinate support for the democratic forces and civil society and discuss the future of a democratic Belarus. From the Belarusian side, representatives included the United Transitional Cabinet, Coordination Council, and civil society.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya delivered opening remarks and thanked the European Commission and partners for consistently supporting Belarus. She noted that over the past year, the EU, together with Belarusian partners, launched new mechanisms to support repressed Belarusians, assisted released political prisoners, and strengthened support for independent media and civil society.
During the panel discussion “The Political Situation in Belarus”, she emphasized that the future of Belarus will largely depend on the geopolitical situation and the course of the war in Ukraine, but the key factor remains the position of the Belarusian people:
“The developments in Belarus depend significantly on the war in Ukraine. If a ceasefire is reached, this could create a new momentum for Belarus as well. But if escalation occurs, Belarus could once again become a springboard for Russian aggression.
The question is what Belarus will look like after Lukashenka and what we can do to put Belarus on a democratic and European path when that moment comes. Much of what we are doing now is about preparation: building infrastructure, ensuring legitimate representation, and creating tools and channels that can play a key role at the moment of change”.
