Donald Trump “needs success stories”. Belarusian opposition leader appeals to the US president
Svetlana Tihanovskaia at an event in New York in September 2025. Credit: Riccardo Savi / Getty images / Profimedia
Exiled Svetlana Tihanovskaia has urged US President Donald Trump to step up efforts to support democracy in Belarus, saying it is in Washington's best interest to keep her country free.
In an interview with AFP in Amsterdam, Tihanovskaia also spoke about the expected meeting between Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, saying that Vladimir Putin is not serious about negotiations with Ukraine.
In September, Belarusian authorities released 52 political prisoners in a US-brokered deal as Aleksandr Lukashenko seeks closer ties with the Trump administration.
“Trump has a more transactional approach”
“Of course, we are very grateful to President Trump and his personal involvement in this humanitarian action to release political prisoners,” said Tihanovskaia.
She believes that Washington does not “legitimize” the Lukashenko regime, nor does it normalize relations.
“President Trump has a more transactional approach. He needs success stories. He wants to bring peace to many regions. And, of course, we welcome these efforts,” the Belarusian opponent told AFP.
In his opinion, Trump should look at the big picture and understand that without a free Belarus there can be no peace in the region.
“Our task is to explain that this is not only about (political) hostages. It is about the entire future of our country. And a democratic Belarus is also in the interest of the US,” added Svetlana Tihanovskaia.
Tihanovskaya was forced into exile in 2020 after facing the Lukashenko regime, in power for nearly three decades, in presidential elections. Since her husband, Sergei, was imprisoned, she has become the figurehead of the opposition to Lukashenko.
The Belarusian opposition leader said his team was in “constant communication” with the US administration. “They don't make these deals behind our backs,” Tihanovskaia said.
“As neighbors of Russia, we understand that dictators do not need peace”
The 43-year-old woman, speaking in the Netherlands on the sidelines of a meeting of European socialists, noted that both Lukashenko and Putin are being investigated by the International Criminal Court, based in The Hague.
“Believe me, for both Belarusians and Ukrainians, it is very important that justice be done. We cannot get justice in Belarus,” she continued.
“We need to see that democratic institutions are bold and decisive enough to hold the perpetrators accountable. Because (otherwise) people could lose faith in democratic institutions,” the opponent warned.
Trump and Putin have agreed to meet soon in Budapest for talks on Ukraine, but Tihanovskaya has little hope of progress.
While she said she appreciates Trump's efforts, “as neighbors of Russia, we understand that dictators don't need peace,” Tihanovskaia said, expressing skepticism about the Russian president's real intentions.
