September 23, Pozirk. Pavieł Łatuška, deputy head of the opposition United Transitional Cabinet, expressed hope that Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski had brought up the need for democratization during his meeting with Belarusian Foreign Minister Maksim Ryžankoŭ, while 2020 presidential contender Viktar Babaryka expressed gratitude to Sikorski for holding the meeting.
In an interview with Pozirk, Łatuška described the meeting, which took place on the sidelines of UN General Assembly events on Tuesday, as “the minimal possible level of communication” and warned that there are no preconditions for any working or official visits.
“I really hope that during his meeting with the foreign minister of dictator Alaksandar Łukašenka, the foreign minister of Poland, which is a true and consistent friend and partner of democratic Belarus, called for stopping repressions in Belarus, releasing all political prisoners, decriminalizing socio-political life in Belarus and launching an inclusive dialogue with Belarusian society, as outlined in the joint EU stance in the 2024 CouncilConclusions on Belarus,” Łatuška said.
He warned that people continue to be arrested and declared political prisoners even as some imprisoned dissidents are released. Politically motivated persecution in Belarus is not stopping, and state security agencies are seeking to recruit Belarusians in exile, including members of Coordination Council, he said.
Łatuška also noted that Belarus continues to instrumentalize irregular migrants, who are now targeting Latvia and Lithuania rather than Poland, and to support Russia in its war against Ukraine. “There are no grounds for changing Poland’s policy toward Belarus,” he stressed.
In a post on X, Babaryka thanked Sikorski for meeting with Ryžankoŭ, “even in today’s difficult circumstances.” “Every opportunity for dialogue matters when it can help improve relations for the benefit of the people of Poland and Belarus,” Babaryka said.
Commenting on the meeting, Sikorski likened the prospects for normalizing bilateral relations to “a snowdrop that can bloom under favorable conditions.”
Sikorski described the meeting as an initial step, noting that contacts were also taking place between other agencies and at other levels. He said that Poland would soon open a new embassy building in Minsk and was ready to improve relations if Belarus is willing to do so.
The foreign ministers also reportedly discussed issues relating to regional security. When asked whether he had told the Belarusian side not to allow Russia to launch drones and missiles from Belarusian territory, Sikorski replied, “among other things.”
Sikorski noted improvements in the situation along the shared border with Belarus after about a decade without contacts at the ministerial level. He noted the release of many Belarusian political prisoners, including Polish minority activist Andrej Pačobut (Andrzej Poczobut).The Belarusian foreign ministry commented on X that “snowdrop diplomacy is a nice restart.” “But we’re in it for the harvest,” the ministry said. “Let’s plant an orchard – it needs nurturing every year, not once a decade. Minsk is ready to host Belarus and Poland.”
