Zelensky's adviser: We saw how actively the Belarusian opposition works

Over the past few years, Ukraine's elites have changed their attitude toward Belarusians. Adviser to the Office of the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podolyak spoke about this at the Ostrozkikh Forum.

Podolyak noted that among high-ranking Belarusian security officials there are citizens of Russia: "That is, the security bloc of Belarus is, to a certain extent, controlled by the Russian Federation. All of these things have become much better known in Ukraine since 2022."

He also stated that Ukraine's leadership had long failed to understand the difference between Belarusians and Russians: "I won't claim that we had no experts who knew Belarus at all. But sometimes people reached the president who claimed that Belarusians are 'soft' Russians who can be negotiated with through corruption. All of that has gradually changed."

Then, he says, Ukraine came to see the difference and learned that Belarusians are fighting on the side of Ukrainians against Russians. Ukraine's elites also came to recognise that Belarusians are actively participating in the transformation of Eastern Europe and are ready to help Ukraine.

"Then we saw how actively the Belarusian opposition works. And it's not only about Ms Tsikhanouskaya. This has become a great success for the Belarusian opposition and for those people who came to us and started working here," Podolyak stated.

The Ostrozkikh Forum is taking place in Ukraine, with representatives from Belarus, Ukraine, and Poland participating, as well as participants from Finland and Georgia.