“We want to border with a free, sovereign, independent Belarus, whose society, brotherly nation decides for itself. We do not want to have a border with a territory occupied by Russia, where there is a Russian army fighting a free, sovereign society. We support you and will continue to support you to regain your free, sovereign, independent homeland,” Polish President Andrzej Duda said at the Belvedere during a meeting with Belarusian opposition leader Svitlana Tikhanouska and representatives of the Belarusian community.

“You are the free, independent Belarus,” Andrzej Duda said to the assembled people and added that Poles understand what is going on in the hearts of people who have been forced to emigrate.

The Polish President stressed that he wanted these Christmas meetings to be “reassuring, but also strengthening” for Belarusians. “Strengthening in the feeling that you are not alone. Strengthening in the sense that we are with you – both in this social and in this state sense”, he said.

Belarusian opposition leader Svitlana Tikhanouska thanked Poles for their support and stressed that her compatriots fighting for their country’s freedom would not forget this solidarity.

She stressed that, in her opinion, such meetings are not only a gesture of solidarity with Belarusians who want a free country, but also a symbol of remembrance of political prisoners of the regime, such as Andrei Poczobut, Marya Kalesnikawa and Syarhei Tikhanouski.

In the opinion of the Belarusian leader, her country has become hostage to two dictators: Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko. She stated that she feels pain when Ukraine is fired upon from the territory of her homeland.

“I am sure that Ukraine will win, and Belarus will become free. This is a matter for the Belarusians themselves, only we ourselves will be able to return our country to us. This is not an easy matter, but when such friends as Poland are present nearby, nothing is impossible”, said Svitlana Tikhanouska.

Adrian Andrzejewski