By Zoey
Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya traveled to Kyiv on Monday for high-level meetings with Ukrainian officials as concerns intensify over the possibility of Belarus becoming more directly involved in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The visit came during a period of heightened tension following one of the largest aerial assaults on the Ukrainian capital in recent months. Massive Russian strikes on Kyiv a day earlier killed at least four people, damaged several historic sites and triggered fresh warnings from Moscow of further attacks against the city.
Tsikhanouskaya met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha during what she described as her first official working visit to the Ukrainian capital since the start of the war. Speaking after the meeting, she warned that rhetoric coming from Belarusian authorities had become increasingly alarming and suggested Minsk was preparing for a more militarized role alongside Russia.
She pointed to recent statements by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko about preparing for war while simultaneously claiming to seek peace, saying such comments had raised serious concerns among Belarusians and neighboring countries alike.
Tsikhanouskaya said only a democratic Belarus could become a reliable source of stability and security in Eastern Europe, arguing that Lukashenko’s continued alliance with Moscow had drawn Belarus deeper into regional conflict and international isolation.
Her visit followed weeks of mounting warnings from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Ukrainian military officials about the possibility of renewed Russian operations launched from Belarusian territory. Ukraine has increasingly strengthened defenses along its northern border amid fears that Belarus could again serve as a staging ground for Russian military action.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Belarus has remained Moscow’s closest regional ally. Russian troops previously used Belarusian territory to advance toward Kyiv during the early stages of the war, and military cooperation between Minsk and Moscow has expanded significantly over the past several years.
Belarus has allowed Russian drones and military aircraft to operate near its territory during attacks on Ukraine, while the two countries have carried out joint military exercises and security operations. Belarusian officials recently confirmed the deployment of Russia’s Oreshnik intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile system on Belarusian soil, a move viewed by Kyiv and Western governments as a further escalation of military cooperation between the allies.
Last week, Belarus and Russia also conducted joint nuclear readiness drills, fueling additional concerns across Europe about the widening security risks posed by the conflict.
Although Lukashenko recently rejected suggestions that Belarus intended to enter the war directly, he stated that Minsk and Moscow would jointly defend themselves against any external aggression. Ukrainian officials remain skeptical of such assurances, warning that the military integration between Russia and Belarus continues to deepen.
During her remarks in Kyiv, Tsikhanouskaya also addressed recent diplomatic outreach by Emmanuel Macron to Lukashenko. Macron held a phone conversation with the Belarusian leader on Sunday, one of the rare direct contacts between a major Western leader and Lukashenko in recent years.
Tsikhanouskaya interpreted the call as a signal from Europe intended to warn Belarus against escalating the conflict further. She suggested Western governments were attempting to make clear that any additional involvement by Minsk in military operations against Ukraine would provoke a strong response from European nations.
Lukashenko has increasingly sought relief from Western sanctions that were imposed after Belarus’ disputed 2020 presidential election and the violent crackdown that followed. Tsikhanouskaya and her supporters maintain that she won the election, while Western governments refused to recognize Lukashenko’s declared victory.
Sanctions against Belarus were later expanded because of Minsk’s support for Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine. The measures have targeted Belarusian officials, financial institutions and key sectors of the economy, contributing to growing economic pressure on the country.
Ukraine’s foreign minister reiterated during Monday’s meeting that Kyiv would respond firmly to any provocations originating from Belarusian territory. Sybiha also dismissed recent comments by Lukashenko suggesting he was prepared to meet directly with Zelenskiy, saying Ukraine already had appropriate diplomatic channels and representatives handling matters related to Belarus.
The visit by Tsikhanouskaya underscored the increasingly complex regional dynamics surrounding the war as Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and European powers navigate rising military tensions, diplomatic maneuvering and fears of further escalation across Eastern Europe.
Original article
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