Dictators 'testing the borders of Europe', Belarus opposition leader tells Euronews

Dictators are testing the borders of Europe and must be confronted by democratic forces across the European Union, the exiled leader of the Belarusian opposition Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said in an interview with Euronews' flagship morning show Europe Today.

From Moscow to Minsk, authoritarian leaders pose a threat to the European security architecture and should be met with resistance, she warned, adding that Ukraine is the main stage of global conflict, but could go beyond if the country ends up with a bad deal.

"For us, this goes well beyond Ukraine. This is about the European security architecture and the entire region," she said. "We all want peace, and I understand Trump wants a deal, but a lot will depend on the position of Europe and how united we can be."

The Belarusian opposition leader also cautioned that a bad deal in Ukraine will have knock-on effects on her country, which should not "become a consolation prize".

"The future of our country depends on the outcome of the war in Ukraine," she said.

"It is important for us that during these negotiations, Belarus is included so that we don't become a consolation prize and Belarus does not stay subjugated to this regime and Russia. We cannot lose our independence," she added.

Tsikhanouskaya fled Belarus in 2020 after an election in which authoritarian leader Aliaksandr Lukashenka, who has been in power for 31 years, claimed victory and cracked down on the opposition. The international community, including the US and Europe, has accused Lukashenka of rigging the vote and has imposed sanctions since.

Russia used Belarus as a launchpad to attack Ukraine since Moscow's full-scale invasion in early 2022. More recently, Minsk has been accused by Baltic countries and Poland of instrumentalising illegal migration to create tensions at the border.

Lithuania has also pointed the finger at Lukashenka for allowing large-scale balloons to breach its airspace, causing chaos in passenger traffic and prompting Vilnius to consider a national emergency over the repeated incursions.

"This is a hybrid attack on Europe. Dictators are constantly trying to blackmail leaders to see how far they can go. Indecisiveness will only be perceived as weakness."