Belarussian Opposition Leader’s Call to Action

SVETLANA TIKHANOVSKAYA, BELARUSIAN OPPOSITION LEADER:  No, I think that democratic countries’ most powerful leverage is sanctions. And sanctions scare the regime of Lukashenko, because this economic isolation will not let him to pay to riot policeman. And this will –sanctions will stop violence, will help to release political prisoners. And we have already had three packages of sanctions list from European Union and sanctions from the USA. And after this accident with fight, we hold that response of European Union will be much, much stronger, because now Lukashenko is threatened, not only to the Belarusian people, not only inside the country, but he’s threatened to international community.

GOLODRYGA: And with his back against the wall now, as he is isolated, that puts him into the orbit of Vladimir Putin, who really is his benefactor. The two met last week in Sochi. And we know that Vladimir Putin has extended more credit, more money to the beleaguered country. He was just asked last week, Vladimir Putin was asked, what would he do? Would he bring a plane down in a similar fashion if a dissident was on board? And he sort of joked and laughed: I’m not going to tell you. With all of that in mind, we know there’s going to be an upcoming summit next week between Vladimir Putin and President Biden. What would you advise President Biden to say to Vladimir Putin in regards to Lukashenko in Belarus?

TIKHANOVSKAYA: No, I think that Mr. Biden has to pass full, clear messages to the Kremlin, that the situation in Belarus is not able geopolitics. It’s our fight against regime inside the country. The second message is that to get out of this political and humanitarian crisis, we have to help new friends, their elections, this year. And the third message is that Russia has to stop support regime — Lukashenko, because supporting the regime of Kremlin is supporting violence and torture in Belarus.