{"id":192172,"date":"2026-06-17T12:15:30","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T09:15:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/192172\/"},"modified":"2026-06-17T12:15:32","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T09:15:32","slug":"cichanouskaja-stresses-importance-of-sanctions-at-briefing-for-diplomats-in-warsaw","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/192172\/","title":{"rendered":"Cichano\u016dskaja stresses importance of sanctions at briefing for diplomats in Warsaw"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Cichano\u016dskaja's press office)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

June 17, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>\u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja emphasized the importance of maintaining sanctions on Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s regime until \u201crepression stops and systemic change begins in Belarus\u201d during a briefing for diplomats from 29 countries at the Italian embassy in Warsaw on June 16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the press office, the opposition politician spoke about pro-democracy forces\u2019 plans, efforts to secure the release of political prisoners and the West\u2019s sanctions policy. She stressed the need for supporting independent media and civil society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also urged Europe to issue more Schengen visas to Belarusians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the briefing, her associate Pavie\u0142 \u0141atu\u0161ka reiterated his standard message that Belarus cannot overcome its political crisis without a round-table dialogue between its pro-democracy forces and authorities. He described the EU as an actor capable of forcing the regime to the negotiating table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141atu\u0161ka warned the EU against lifting its sanctions \u201cwithout real, not cosmetic change in the regime\u2019s policies\u201d and expressed confidence that the United States\u2019 concessions alone are sufficient to secure the release of Belarusian political prisoners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141atu\u0161ka stressed that Belarus\u2019 democratization should be \u201con the agenda of any potential Ukraine peace talks,\u201d because \u201cwithout taking the situation in Belarus into account, a stable peace in Europe is unattainable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141atu\u0161ka urged EU countries to join the procedure initiated by Lithuania to bring \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s regime to account through the International Criminal Court. He warned that if other countries choose to stay out, justice may not be served for the \u201chundreds of thousands of Belarusian victims now living in Poland, as well as in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Czech Republic, Estonia and other countries.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diplomats from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States attended the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also present were Cichano\u016dskaja\u2019s aides Dzianis Ku\u010dynski and Franak Via\u010dorka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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