Zelensky, Belarusian opposition leader Tsikhanouskaya meet for first time in Vilnius
President Volodymyr Zelensky and exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held their first bilateral meeting on Jan. 25 in Vilnius, the two leaders said.
Tsikhanouskaya is widely regarded as the winner of the Belarusian 2020 presidential election, in which she challenged longtime ruler Alexander Lukashenko, who has presided over the country's authoritarian government for more than three decades. Despite strong popular support for Tsikhanouskaya, the regime overturned the results through widespread vote rigging.
The meeting took place during Zelensky's visit to Lithuania to mark the anniversary of the January Uprising of 1863-64, when the Ukrainian, Polish, Lithuanian, and Belarusian people rose up against the Russian Empire. While in Vilnius, Zelensky also met with the presidents of Lithuania and Poland. Earlier in the day, Tsikhanouskaya participated in events commemorating the uprising as well.
Tsikhanouskaya said that the meeting with Zelensky focused on solidarity between Belarusians and Ukrainians, support for political prisoners, and cooperation with Western allies.
"On behalf of Belarusians, I expressed full solidarity with the Ukrainian people fighting for freedom and deep respect for President Zelensky's exceptional leadership," Tsikhanouskaya wrote on social media following the meeting.
She thanked Zelensky for his remarks during the commemoration of the January Uprising and for Ukraine's support for a democratic Belarus, including what she described as Kyiv's distinction between the Belarusian people and the authoritarian government of President Alexander Lukashenko.
They also discussed next steps on political prisoner releases, sanctions policy, and accountability for Lukashenko and his regime.
In a separate statement, Tsikhanouskaya praised Zelensky's leadership, saying it gives "strength to Ukrainians and hope to Belarusians."
"Our futures are intertwined, and our path leads to a free, European future for both our nations," she said.
Speaking earlier at the commemoration of the January Uprising, Zelensky emphasized the unity of Poland, Ukraine, and Lithuania, while noting that Belarus has yet to achieve genuine independence. Under the current regime, he said, even Lukashenko's dog has more rights than the people of Belarus.
While the Belarusian opposition has expressed strong solidarity with Ukraine, Lukashenko remains a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. At the start of the full-scale invasion, Lukashenko allowed Russian forces to use Belarusian territory to launch attacks on Ukraine, and Russia continues to use Belarusian industry, trade links, and territory in its war against Ukraine.
