The European Political Community (EPC), a forum bringing together almost the entire European continent, with a few exceptions, including Alexander Lukashenko’s Belarus, welcomed exiled opposition leader, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, as a representative of the Belarusian people. She met the Heads of State or Government attending the summit in Dublin to prevent the Belarusian issue from being pushed into the background, she said. On the sidelines of her bilateral meetings, she spoke to Agence Europe. (Interview by Louis Dubar)
Agence Europe – You are here alongside some 50 presidents and prime ministers. What do you expect from this summit: renewed political support or an opportunity to keep Belarus on the agenda?
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya – My task here is to remind every leader that the Belarusian fight is continuing. It is important for me to keep Belarus on the agenda and not let Belarus be overlooked in these negotiations. A democratic Belarus is important for the security architecture.
I am grateful that President Zelensky is very supportive of the Belarusian cause. He understands that without the democratisation of our country, it will be a constant threat to Ukraine, but also to the whole European Union: hybrid attacks, incursions into European airspace, military installations…
I see unity in the position of our European partners. The pressure on Lukashenko’s regime should continue, and support for the Belarusian fight should be systematic.
The US envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, are expected in Dublin to meet President Zelensky. How do you view the American approach towards Russia?
First of all, of course, we are grateful for the efforts of the USA for peace in the region. But for us, it is crucial that European representatives are at the negotiating table, because it is the fate of the region that is being discussed.
For Ukrainians, the voice of the European Union is crucial, because this voice has been principled for all these years. What is important is that there should first be a ceasefire and then discussion. Vladimir Putin should not be rewarded with any peace deal while he is attacking peaceful citizens and the lands of Ukraine.
And, of course, the peace deal has to be made on the conditions of the Ukrainian people, because they are the ones who suffer most. We should not allow a new Yalta approach, where the fate of many countries is decided without their participation.
Since 2020, the EU has mobilised €200 million to support the Belarusian opposition. Are you worried this funding could be threatened in the next Multiannual Financial Framework?
Of course, the question of European budgets is important for us. We get technical assistance from the European Union. It is especially important for our media, our human rights defenders and our civil society initiatives, because they are the backbone of our uprising.
I am so grateful that, while many European foreign programmes were cut, the level of support for Belarus remained the same. I talked to President Ursula von der Leyen, explaining why it is important to keep support at least at the same level.
The United States is easing its sanctions against Belarus, while the EU is maintaining its own and could extend them beyond February. Could this divergence weaken the pressure on the Lukashenko regime?
The Americans, who are conducting these humanitarian efforts to release political prisoners, are of course using sanctions as instruments to save people’s lives. Most American sanctions were imposed for human rights abuses, and these sanctions are now being used to release people.
So we need strong European sanctions, and even increased sanctions, to put more pressure on the regime and make it make concessions. Of course, American policy has to be coordinated with European policy. We have developed a formula: American sanctions to release the people, European sanctions to free the country. Lukashenko wants everything without giving anything back. He wants to preserve the status quo. But, again, I see full understanding among European leaders. They understand that Lukashenko wants to fool them.