On July 16, a meeting took place in Warsaw between Andrzej Szejna, Poland's First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Pavel Latushka, Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet and Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management.
Mr. Szejna reassured Mr. Latushka that Poland has no intention of slowing down its support for Belarusian civil society. He emphasized the importance of the Belarusians maintaining hope for a democratic Belarus that can return to the family of European nations.
Mr. Szejna stressed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Polish government draw a clear distinction between the Lukashenko regime and Belarusian society: “Lukashenko is a loyal servant of Putin, while the Belarusian people are not subjects of Russia. That's the difference." He and Pavel Latushka agreed that a comprehensive strategy for Belarus should be developed in collaboration with Belarusian democratic forces to ensure its effectiveness.
The meeting also addressed the issue of changes to the management and broadcasting system of Belsat TV. The information Pavel Latushka presented will be passed on to the relevant press secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A plan for further participation in reforming the TV channel was also proposed.
Anrzej Szejna emphasized that Belarus remains a strategic priority for Poland and is not a forgotten issue. Pavel Latushka proposed the creation of a group of countries, led by Poland, to act as strategic partners for Belarus, similar to the Eastern Partnership initiative previously launched by Radosław Sikorski.
Pavel Latushka also suggested holding consular consultations with representatives of Belarusian civil society organizations. Additionally, he proposed discussing planned changes to Polish visa regulations, a matter on which a preliminary agreement had been reached with Justyna Chrzanowska, Director of the Consular Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Furthermore, Pavel Latushka raised the issue of holding legal consultations regarding the Lukashenko regime's accountability for crimes against humanity in Belarus, complicity in the war against Ukraine, and the deportation of Ukrainian children. He proposed coordinating a meeting with the relevant departments within the Polish Foreign Ministry to discuss this further.
Mr. Latushka also initiated a discussion about recent statements by Lukashenko's Foreign Minister, Mr. Ryzhenkov, concerning solutions for issues on the Belarusian-Polish border. He argued that the problem lies not only with Lukashenko himself but also with his inner circle and the system he has built. Pavel Latushka asserted that the regime's suggestions about resolving border issues should be viewed as mere populism and propaganda until concrete actions are taken, such as:
the release of all political prisoners;
putting an end to repression within Belarus;
cessation of support for Russia's war against Ukraine;
ending the artificial migration crisis on the borders with Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia.
Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Szejna expressed his sincere personal and professional support for the Belarusian people's fight for freedom: “We must help Belarus so that Belarusian society is not russified. Among the main and constant priorities of Poland’s foreign policy are a strong EU and NATO, a sovereign Ukraine and a free democratic Belarus.”
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