The fourth meeting of the Consultative Group between the European Union and Belarusian democratic forces took place on December 11 in Brussels. This meeting reaffirmed the EU’s support for Belarusian democratic forces in their efforts for a democratic and sovereign Belarus.
High Representative Kaja Kallas met with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, emphasising the EU’s commitment to a democratic future for Belarus and praising her leadership. The group discussed the political situation, highlighting increasing repression, deteriorating human rights, the regime’s complicity in Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and the use of migration as a tool against the EU.
Launched in 2023, the Consultative Group is a dialogue platform that facilitates information sharing and shapes EU actions to support a free and independent Belarus.
The upcoming presidential elections in Belarus, set for January 2025, were a central topic of a recent meeting. The EU highlighted the need for free, fair, and transparent electoral processes, noting that ongoing repression currently undermines these conditions.
The EU reiterated its support for democratic forces and the Belarusian people’s quest for freedom. It condemned the increase in detentions and repression ahead of the elections and expressed concern for the nearly 1,300 unjustly detained political prisoners, calling for their immediate release.
[High Representative Kaja Kallas and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya at the “Voices from Prison” exhibition. Kaja Kallas @kajakallas]
In partnership with civil society organisations, the European External Action Service (EEAS) organised an exhibition titled “Voices from Prison,” showcasing artwork and letters from political prisoners. The meeting was co-chaired by EEAS Managing Director Michael Siebert and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. It was part of the EU-hosted Belarus Days (December 9-13), which aimed to demonstrate the EU’s support for democracy in Belarus and celebrate its culture and identity.
