What the Democratic Forces Agreed with Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs

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Pavel Latushka: Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Representative of the Cabinet for the Transition of Power, Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, Leader of the "Latushka Team and the Movement 'For Freedom'" faction within the 3rd convocation of the Coordination Council.

In Kyiv, the delegation of democratic forces led by Head of the United Transitional Cabinet Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

During the meeting, which lasted more than two and a half hours, the parties discussed further cooperation between Ukraine and the democratic forces, issues facing Belarusians in Ukraine, and cooperation in the fields of culture, information, and diplomacy.

Outcomes:

• Ambassador-at-Large Yaroslav Chornogur was appointed to coordinate cooperation with the democratic forces;

• a coordination group on issues concerning Belarusians in Ukraine is being prepared for launch, covering legalisation, migration, and other problems faced by Belarusians in Ukraine;

• a series of proposals on sanctions against regime enterprises and individuals were submitted; Ukraine will raise the issue of Belarus at the EU Council of Foreign Ministers. Ukraine will consider the question of sanctions against the "Union State";

• the democratic forces will join the international coalition for the return of Ukrainian children;

• agreement was reached on cooperation in countering Russification and supporting Belarusian-Ukrainian cultural and educational initiatives, as well as on creating conditions for the development of the Belarusian student community in Ukraine;

• the Head of the Mission of the Democratic Forces in Kyiv, Sviatlana Shatsilina, was officially introduced to the Minister;

• proposals were submitted on holding the Lukashenko regime accountable for international crimes (the act of aggression against Ukraine, the deportation of children, and crimes against humanity);

During the meeting, the parties agreed to counter Russian disinformation and propaganda, and to make efforts to prevent Belarus from being drawn into the war.

The Belarusian delegation was also presented with a series of historical documents from the official correspondence between the Ukrainian People's Republic and the Belarusian People's Republic in 1918–1919.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya:

"I am glad that our relations are reaching a new level — this is a clear signal that Ukraine distinguishes between Belarus and Russia, between Belarusians and the regime. We will cooperate with Ukraine across a number of areas to renew the friendly relations between our peoples and to counter the criminal regimes in Minsk and Moscow."

During the meeting of the Belarusian democratic forces delegation with Ukraine's Foreign Minister, UTC Deputy Head Pavel Latushka outlined the three directions along which work is being conducted to hold Lukashenko accountable for international crimes committed: the act of aggression against Ukraine, the deportation of Ukrainian children from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, and crimes against humanity against the Belarusian people.

He also submitted specific proposals on increasing sanctions pressure on the regime. Andrii Sybiha endorsed them, noting that Ukraine would pursue work in the direction of accountability and expanding sanctions.

The Belarusian democratic forces delegation was composed of representatives of the United Transitional Cabinet — Pavel Latushka, representative of the democratic forces in Ukraine Sviatlana Shatsilina, and advisors to Tsikhanouskaya — Franak Viačorka, Denis Kuchynski, and Anatol Liabedzka.

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