“Lukashenko Spoke but Tsikhanouskaya Arrived,” Zelenskyy on Belarusian Opposition Leader’s Kyiv Visit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the Summit of Cities and Regions in Kyiv, an event uniting representatives from 24 countries—primarily European—and featuring an unprecedented appearance by Belarusian democratic opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on May 26.

The summit brought together delegates from Ukraine’s neighboring states, including Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Moldova, and Romania, as well as representatives from France, the U.K., the US, and numerous other free nations. According to Zelenskyy, the presence of the Mayor of Budapest offers hope for stabilizing relations with Hungary, an outcome he noted is crucial for both the region and Europe as a whole.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya emerged as the leader of the Belarusian democratic opposition after running against Alexander Lukashenko in the widely condemned 2020 presidential election. Forced into exile following massive anti-government protests, she now heads the United Transitional Cabinet from Lithuania, where she is recognized by the international community as the legitimate representative of the Belarusian people in their struggle for a democratic state free from Russian influence, Associated Press reported.

Special attention during the event was dedicated to the vision of a free Belarus. The President emphasized that Ukraine has never posed a threat to its neighbor and expressed gratitude to the Belarusians who stand with Ukraine at a time when the independence of all nations bordering Russia is at stake.

“We all support the desire of the people of Belarus to rid themselves of Russian interference, and we know that Russia is currently trying to drag Belarus even further into this war against Ukraine,” Zelenskyy stressed following his meeting with Tsikhanouskaya and her team. “We value every manifestation of support from Belarusians for a free Ukraine, and we know there will be a day when our states will again have good-neighborly relations based on the true independence of both Ukraine and Belarus from Moscow.”

Read more

Category

War in Ukraine

Ukraine to Host Belarus Opposition Leader Tsikhanouskaya as Kyiv Rejects Lukashenko Meeting Proposal

May 22, 2026 18:03

The inclusion of the Belarusian delegation in this format marked a first, serving as a pointed response to recent diplomatic overtures by Belarus’s leader Alexander Lukashenko.

“For the first time in this format, we have representatives from Belarus. Recently, Lukashenko said it was time for the presidents of Ukraine and Belarus to meet. It turned out interestingly: Lukashenko spoke, but Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya arrived,” the Ukrainian President quipped.

Zelenskyy also emphasized that the solidarity of the nations present at the summit embodies a historical rallying cry against tyranny.

“Most of you absolutely clearly understand and feel what the phrase 'For our freedom and yours' means. This is exactly how we are defending ourselves in Ukraine now, this is how the freedom and independence of many others in our Europe were protected, and this is how the entire free world lives—thanks to the readiness of others to come to the aid and defense of the one facing unjust strikes and wars of conquest,” the head of state concluded.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya had previously emphasized that Ukraine’s defense against Russia is directly tied to the future liberation of Belarus from its current authoritarian regime. Speaking at a press conference, Tsikhanouskaya condemned unrecognized president Alexander Lukashenko for turning the nation into an accomplice to Moscow’s military campaign, stating that he serves Kremlin interests rather than the Belarusian people.

She reaffirmed the Belarusian opposition’s support for Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity, noting that hundreds of Belarusians remain imprisoned for their anti-war stances. The visit coincided with the appointment of Ukrainian scholar Yaroslav Chornohor as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Ambassador-at-Large for Belarus, a newly created role dedicated to managing relations and future collaboration with Belarusian democratic forces.

Tsikhanouskaya had also reiterated that long-term regional security depends on establishing a free, sovereign Belarus to serve as a reliable partner to Ukraine rather than an instrument of Russian aggression.

Help Ukrainian Units Hold the Drone Line

Download APP