Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya announced the opening of a Mission of Belarusian Democratic Forces in Kyiv.
On Wednesday, the opening ceremony was attended by representatives of Tsikhanouskaya’s United Transitional Cabinet, her office, the Coordination Council, as well as Ukrainian officials, including Deputy Foreign Minister Yevhen Perebyinis.
According to Tsikhanouskaya’s team on Telegram, the mission will serve as a permanent platform for cooperation between Ukraine and Belarusian democratic forces.
The office will work with Ukrainian institutions, support Belarusians living in Ukraine, coordinate joint initiatives, and strengthen dialogue with the Belarusian opposition.
Sviatlana Shatsilina was appointed head of the mission as the representative of the Belarusian democratic forces in Ukraine.
Tsikhanouskaya urges greater support for Ukraine
“We must do more to help Ukraine in every possible way – politically, informationally, through support for Belarusian volunteers and activists,” Tsikhanouskaya said.
She said the mission was created to make cooperation with Ukraine more structured and sustainable.
“So that Belarusians in Ukraine know where they can turn. So that Ukrainian partners understand whom they can work with. So that our cooperation is based not only on individual contacts but has a permanent platform,” she added.
Tsikhanouskaya also thanked Ukrainian officials and supporters of the Belarusian democratic movement.
She began her first official visit to Kyiv earlier this week.
During talks with Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, the sides agreed to deepen cooperation between Ukraine and Belarusian democratic forces. Later, the foreign ministry also announced the appointment of Ambassador-at-Large Yaroslav Chornohor to coordinate engagement with the Belarusian democratic movement.
Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the decision, saying it would strengthen long-term cooperation and help treat a future democratic Belarus as a partner.
Sybiha said Ukraine distinguishes between the government under Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko and the Belarusian people.
The Lukashenko government allowed Russia to use Belarus as a staging ground for the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, while Kyiv has warned in recent weeks that it possesses “evidence” of Moscow’s plans to draw Minsk deeper into the war.
Sybiha noted that thousands of Belarusians have been imprisoned or forced into exile and said more than 90 have died fighting alongside Ukrainian forces.
The sides also discussed future cooperation, including potential participation of a democratic Belarus in the Lublin Triangle and coordination on sanctions proposals.
Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with Tsikhanouskaya during a summit in Kyiv and warned that Russia is trying to draw Belarus deeper into the war.