The leader of the Belarusian opposition, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, met with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, during his visit to Vilnius. She announced this on January 25, emphasizing the importance of dialogue between Ukraine and the democratic forces of Belarus.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Discussion on Support and Cooperation
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya highlighted that the struggle of the Belarusian and Ukrainian peoples is interconnected, and their future should be aligned with European values. She also thanked Ukrainian society for supporting Belarusian political prisoners who have been accepted in Ukraine and stressed Kyiv’s readiness to provide similar assistance in the future.
“I had the honor of meeting with President Zelensky today in Vilnius. He embodies the courage of a nation that refuses to give up its freedom”
The parties discussed issues related to sanctions policy, a joint strategy with European countries and the USA regarding holding the Belarusian leadership accountable, particularly for the abduction of Ukrainian children. Tikhanovskaya suggested that Ukraine appoint a special envoy for Belarus, as many democratic states have already done, and also expressed the proposal for closer cooperation with the Mission of Democratic Forces in Kyiv.
Invitation to Kyiv and Historical Context
During the meeting, the possible visit of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya to Ukraine was also discussed. President Volodymyr Zelensky invited her to visit Kyiv to deepen cooperation and support democratic processes in Belarus.
Volodymyr Zelensky published a photo with Tikhanovskaya in a post commemorating the participants of the January Uprising at the Rasos Cemetery in Vilnius. In his address, he noted that this uprising was a joint action of the Ukrainian, Polish, Lithuanian, and Belarusian peoples against the Russian Empire and oppression.
In his speech, Zelensky also recalled the mass protests in Belarus in 2020, emphasizing that these events should have ended in victory, so that new threats would not arise today. The President of Ukraine expressed his belief that Europe and the global community should support the Belarusian protesters.
It is worth noting that the previous personal meeting between Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and Volodymyr Zelensky took place in 2021.