The leader of the Belarusian opposition, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, arrived in Kyiv on Monday morning. The visit includes negotiations with the Ukrainian leadership and the opening of the Democratic Forces of Belarus mission in Ukraine.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya began her visit to the Ukrainian capital by visiting the Lukyanivka Military Cemetery in Kyiv. There lies the grave of 24-year-old Belarusian activist Maria Zaitseva, who died in Donbas.
“For me, it was very important to start this visit by honoring the memory of a person who gave their life for the freedom of Ukraine and Belarus,” Tsikhanouskaya stated.
I began my visit to Kyiv this morning by going straight from the train station to pay tribute at the grave of Maria Zaitseva. She symbolizes not only our resistance to dictatorship but also Ukrainian-Belarusian solidarity.
— Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) May 25, 2026
It was truly important for me to begin this visit by… pic.twitter.com/aWkwe3QfsG
In the coming days, she has scheduled meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, the leadership of the Verkhovna Rada, as well as diplomats from the European Union. Additionally, the opening of the Democratic Forces of Belarus mission in Ukraine is expected.
The visit comes amid a noticeable increase in contacts between Kyiv and the Belarusian opposition. Last week, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry appointed a separate representative for interaction with Belarusian democratic forces. Prior to this, Andriy Sybiha had already held a meeting with Tsikhanouskaya.
Since the onset of the full-scale war, the topic of Ukraine's relations with the Belarusian opposition has become particularly sensitive. Kyiv continues to sharply criticize Alexander Lukashenko's regime for supporting Russia, while simultaneously maintaining contacts with representatives of the Belarusian opposition.
The opening of a separate mission for the Democratic Forces of Belarus in Ukraine could be another step towards more formalized cooperation between the parties.
In recent years, Tsikhanouskaya has actively participated in international meetings and negotiations, seeking to strengthen support for the Belarusian opposition from European countries and Ukraine's allies.
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