Tikhanovskaya: Ukrainian victory would also give Belarus new opportunities
A Ukrainian victory in the month-long war started by Russia would also give Belarus a new opportunity to hold free and fair elections, Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya said during a visit to Tallinn on Friday.
"We must understand that in 2020, [Alexander] Lukashenko lost the election and he remained in power using force and thanks to Russian support. And now, when Russia is losing this war, an economic crisis is coming, Lukashenko is also getting weaker because no one supports him. He knows that he has lost the support of Belarusians. He is not welcomed by democratic countries and knows that he will lose support for Belarus' intervention in the war, both among officials and the military. Thus, if Russia loses this war, then for us, Belarusians, for free Belarusians, a new window of opportunity arises to hold new fair elections," she said.
Tikhanovskaya was in Tallinn to participate in the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute's conference about the impact of the UN on the war in Ukraine.
A longer interview will be broadcast next week.
Lukashenko is supporting Russia's war by allowing troops to be stationed in the country and launching attacks on Ukraine from southern Belarus.
Belarus' soldiers understand that if the regime orders them to go fight against , it will be solely for the Kremlin's cruel ambitions. Our people do not support this war. Thanks to @MFAestonia & @EFPI_Est for holding such an important conference on security in the region. pic.twitter.com/q0C6diHy67
— Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) April 1, 2022
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Editor: Helen Wright
