Zelenskyy: Belarus more dangerous after 2020 protests failed to break Moscow dependence

“For now, sadly, Lukashenko’s white spitz has been granted more rights than the people of Belarus,” the Ukrainian leader stated.

"There was a chance in 2020 to change this. And, I’m sure, there will be another chance. But back then, support for Belarusians was simply not enough."

Zelenskyy added that everyone now understands “how much harder, how much more expensive, and how much more dangerous it has become for everyone because of Belarus’s dependence on Moscow.”

And the level of this dependence is not decreasing, the Ukrainian leader said.

Russian Shahed drone operators, for example, strike Ukraine from Belarusian territory as well.

“Russian operators of jet-powered Shahed drones operate against Ukraine from Belarusian territory,” Zelenskyy stated.

In addition, Russia uses Belarus as a testing ground for blackmailing European countries and the world with Oreshnik missiles.

“Belarusian industry works for Russia’s war, and Belarusian trade links help Putin buy components needed to build threats against all of us in Europe,” the Ukrainian leader said.

That is why, according to Zelenskyy, it is important for Europe not to lose the peoples who live for freedom, and it is critical not to lose time. And that is why European countries must work every day “for a strong Europe.”

The head of state called for supporting the Belarusian opposition and personally thanked Belarusian volunteers fighting for Ukraine.

“I want to say separately to the people of Belarus — you are a European people who will be together with all our peoples in unity. In our free Europe. In a peaceful Europe, in a strong Europe,” Zelenskyy said.

Protests in Belarus began in May 2020 and grew into mass street demonstrations in August after Alexander Lukashenko was declared the winner of the presidential election. Hundreds of thousands of Belarusians took to the streets against the falsifications. Mass protests against the rigging continued for several months. Detentions on the streets and beatings of people occurred almost daily, and thousands ended up in prisons. The demonstrations ended.

Possible election winner Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya left the country, while other protest leaders ended up behind bars. Lukashenko launched a brutal campaign to suppress dissent: more than 65,000 people were detained, and more than 1,200 were recognized as political prisoners. Thousands were forced to leave the country.

According to Reporters Without Borders, Belarus leads Europe in the number of imprisoned journalists.