Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya meets NATO Secretary General, addresses Allies

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya of Belarus to NATO HQ on Tuesday (7 May 2024) for an exchange of views. Ms Tsikhanouskaya also addressed the North Atlantic Council, APA reports citing the official website of NATO.

"Mr Stoltenberg commended Ms Tsikhanouskaya’s courage and leadership in standing up for democracy and human rights in Belarus. He expressed concern about the renewed crackdown by President Lukashenko’s regime on the opposition and on civil society. The Secretary General reiterated that the people of Belarus have the right to live in freedom and democracy.

The Secretary General also discussed Ms Tsikhanouskaya’s opposition to the deployment of Russian nuclear weapons on Belarusian territory. “Minsk’s support has been instrumental to Russia, providing territory and infrastructure for Russian forces to attack Ukraine and sustain the war of aggression”, he said. NATO Allies have called on Belarus to end its complicity in Russia’s war and to comply with international law. Allies have also condemned Russia’s announced intention to deploy nuclear weapons and nuclear capable systems on Belarusian territory," noted in the statement.