On May 25, Belarusian democratic opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya arrived in Kyiv on her first official visit.
During a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andrii Sybiha, the parties laid the foundation for a new format of relations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine announced the appointment of a new ambassador-at-large, Yaroslav Chornohor, to engage with the democratic movement of Belarus. Kyiv drew a clear line between Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko’s regime and the Belarusian people, announcing a number of strategic plans for the future.
Chornohor will take responsibility for establishing effective cooperation with representatives of the Belarusian democratic forces. The appointment aims to establish a permanent diplomatic mechanism for interaction between the parties.
“On our part, we are taking a step forward – an ambassador-at-large, Yaroslav Chornohor, has been appointed within the structure of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, specifically to establish effective cooperation with Belarusian democratic forces,” Sybiha stated.
This step is designed to guide bilateral dialogue into a systematic, structured channel and help resolve the practical and humanitarian issues of Belarusians in Ukraine.
Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the decision, emphasizing that the Belarusian people had long been waiting for this visit.
“It is very important for us that Ukraine sees a future partner and neighbor in a free Belarus, rather than a threat. Only a free, democratic Belarus will become a factor of stability and security in the region, rather than an instrument of the Kremlin’s aggressive policy. We need more mutual trust, more contact between people, experts, society, and democratic institutions,” Tsikhanouskaya noted.
“Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lukashenko have done everything to destroy the friendly relations between our peoples, but our task is to restore them by all means,” she added.
Sybiha: Kyiv distinguishes between Lukashenko’s regime and the Belarusian people
Sybiha emphasized that Kyiv clearly distinguishes between Lukashenko’s regime, which has dragged Belarus into Russia’s war, and the Belarusian people, who are resisting.
“We are convinced that Belarusians deserve freedom, independence, and the right to independently determine the future of their state. To date, about a thousand Belarusians remain in prison for their civic stance, and many have been forced to leave the country due to repression. We see your resistance and your position. We value the contribution of Belarusian volunteers, journalists, human rights defenders, and activists to our joint struggle for freedom – ours and yours,” Sybiha stressed.
He also noted that more than 90 Belarusian citizens have given their lives fighting side by side with Ukrainians against Russia’s army.
Future plans for Ukraine and the democratic forces of Belarus
During the press conference, the parties outlined shared ambitious plans for the future:
- The Lublin triangle: Ukraine officially invited the future democratic Belarus to join this regional alliance alongside Poland and Lithuania.
- Tribunal and accountability: Kyiv and Tsikhanouskaya’s team are already working together to gather evidence of Lukashenko’s involvement in the crime of aggression and the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children.
- Sanctions pressure: The Belarusian side handed over a fresh list of sanctions proposals to Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for further promotion at EU level.
Sybiha on Russian threat and Ukraine’s “mirror” tactics
Responding to journalists’ questions regarding the latest Russian information attacks and massive strikes on Kyiv, Sybiha demonstrated absolute confidence in Ukraine’s resilience.
He reported having personally invited 70 foreign diplomats to visit sites damaged by the recent massive attack on Kyiv, demonstrating how quickly Ukrainian services eliminate the consequences of terror.
Regarding potential military provocations, Ukraine’s stance remains uncompromising:
“We will mirror [military actions]. In the event of any provocative hostile actions against Ukraine, Ukraine will mirror them in its responses decisively and robustly... Our goal is to prevent the creation of threats and the enlistment of the Belarusian people into a foreign war,” Sybiha concluded.
Resistance to Russian blackmail
Commenting on Moscow’s statements regarding the threat of new massive strikes on Kyiv and calls for foreigners to leave the capital, Sybiha urged partners not to give in to the latest round of Russian blackmail.
According to the foreign minister, Ukraine has repeatedly experienced similar stages of escalation.
He noted that the best response to intimidation is strengthening the Armed Forces of Ukraine, providing additional assistance packages and missiles, as well as forming a so-called “deterrence package.”
Sybiha expressed confidence that Europe would demonstrate it cannot be intimidated, and that Putin will eventually realize that he will never achieve his military goals in Ukraine.
Finland’s offer to act as mediator
The foreign minister also commented on the recent statement by the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, regarding his readiness to act as a mediator on behalf of European countries to help end the war.
Sybiha highly praised the Finnish leader, calling him a strong, authoritative politician and diplomat who possesses all the qualities required for negotiations on such a scale.
At the same time, he noted that specific formats for European diplomatic participation are still being aligned.
According to Sybiha, discussions are currently underway regarding exactly how this process will be shaped – be it through a special representative, a designated group of leaders, or an ad hoc format.
Kyiv clearly emphasizes that any new diplomatic efforts must not compete with the key process.
“This cannot be considered an alternative to the main, victorious negotiation track from the United States of America. These must be additional, complementary diplomatic channels,” Sybiha explained.
The Ukrainian side expects these channels to have clear timeframes and to focus on resolving specific issues.
Sybiha also announced that he plans to participate in an upcoming meeting of foreign ministers, where the role and formats of Europe’s involvement in peace efforts will be a key topic on the agenda.