Cichanoŭskaja: Ukraine’s victory will be a victory over darkness and fear

August 24, Pozirk. Ukrainians are defending their independence from invaders and their victory will be a “victory over darkness and fear,“ says Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja’s congratulatory message to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Ukrainian Independence Day.

“For over two and a half years now, the world has witnessed your daily resilience, strength of spirit, and dedication in the fight for freedom and independence,” the Belarusian opposition leader noted. “By fearlessly defending your country from the aggressor, you inspire many nations, including Belarusians, to continue their fight.”

The politician described Ukraine’s ratification of the International Criminal Court’s Rome Statute as a milestone towards restoring justice and securing accountability for perpetrators of crimes.

“No expansionist ambitions of Russia can defeat the Ukrainian people, she stressed. “I am proud that Belarusian volunteers are fighting side by side with Ukrainians, for your freedom and ours. . . There will be no free Belarus without a free Ukraine, just like there will be no safe Europe without a free Belarus.”

So far, Cichanoŭskaja and Zelensky have only briefly met each other on the sidelines of international events.