Brussels – More than six years have passed since the rigged 2020 presidential election in Belarus, when Alexander Lukashenko tightened his authoritarian grip on the country. With hundreds of political prisoners still detained, “the situation has not changed much” since then, because “the repression is continuing and people are being detained every day.”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of the Belarusian democratic forces, remains composed as she explains how Lukashenko’s regime detains not only activists involved in the 2020 protests, but also pro-Europeans, those who oppose the war and support Ukraine and political prisoners. “Solidarity has already become a crime,” she said in an interview with The New Union Post.
At the same time, as Lukashenko has dragged the country into Russia’s war against Ukraine since 2022, providing Russia with a base for provocations and possible future attacks “even on NATO allies,” Tsikhanouskaya warns EU institutions and member states that “the situation is no longer only a humanitarian issue, but it is primarily a security issue.” And, since this has become a source of threat to European countries, it needs to be discussed “as part of the broader debate on European security” – including the European future of a free and democratic Belarus.
A European intertwined future
During a trip to Brussels to participate in the EU Parliamentary Democracy Forum, the leader of Belarus’s United Transitional Cabinet – the self-declared interim government – explained to The New Union Post how the democratic forces she coordinates from exile in Lithuania are strengthening relations with Kyiv in the prospect of a pro-EU alliance.
In late May, she was invited by President Volodymyr Zelensky to visit Kyiv, where she noticed that the “rhetoric and attitude” of Ukrainians towards the Belarusian democratic forces had changed. “Now, we are in constant communication and cooperation,” Tsikhanouskaya confirmed, highlighting that “our common task is to prevent the Belarusian people from being dragged into Russia’s war against Ukraine.”
She understood that Ukrainians “will never forgive Lukashenko for his betrayal,” as he became a party to the war alongside Russia. Yet they increasingly see that the fates of the two countries “are intertwined,” as Zelensky suggested a few months ago. Tsikhanouskaya shares this view: “We want to return to our historical roots, because we have always been part of the European nations.”
While with Russia “there is poverty, war and subjugation,” Europe, in her eyes – and in those of thousands of her compatriots at home and in exile – represents “prosperity, the rule of law and respect for people’s rights.” This is why they consider themselves Europeans and “we want to be part of this system,” while acknowledging that “it will take time, and nobody knows when this will happen.” In any case, if Europe understands that “a free Belarus and an independent Ukraine are in the EU’s interest,” the process of European integration “should be faster and smoother.”
In this sense, the leader of the democratic forces is “grateful” for the European support shown since 2020 “and even before.” However, “more can be done, because words of solidarity are not enough.” For example, more EU countries should join Lithuania’s referral to the International Criminal Court regarding Lukashenko’s crimes, making the case “stronger” and demonstrating that “justice is important for our partners.”
Moreover, EU member states should look into the situation of Belarusians who cannot renew their documents while in exile, as “there is no systemic solution” at the moment. With the number of people without documents “only set to increase,” national measures must urgently be taken to end these “transnational repressions.”
And, finally, “when you talk about peace in Ukraine, do not leave Belarus for one day later,” Tsikhanouskaya urges. “Do not leave us in the claws of Russia, because it will have consequences for the security of the whole region.”
The state of EU-Belarus relations
After Lukashenko came to power in 1994, relations between Minsk and Brussels deteriorated, with the EU repeatedly condemning the anti-democratic and authoritarian practices of his government. Ties briefly improved in the late 2000s, and Belarus joined the EU’s Eastern Partnership initiative in 2009.
However, its participation was suspended in 2021 following the disputed 2020 presidential election and the violent crackdown on protests and the democratic opposition, which also led to economic and political sanctions against Lukashenko’s regime. More extensive EU sanctions and a freeze in bilateral relations were imposed after Minsk supported the Russian war.
Belarus has never formally applied for EU membership, and relations between Minsk and Brussels are currently at their lowest level. However, the leader of the democratic forces in exile Tsikhanouskaya actively advocates a European future for her country. She consistently argues that the invasion of Ukraine and Lukashenko’s regime of terror are “inextricably linked”, and in 2025 signed several memoranda of understanding with EU institutions aimed at deepening cooperation.
