Andrei Sannikov: Belarus Will Play An Important Role In Ukraine's Victory
- 28.11.2025, 14:43
Only Russia's defeat will return normal life to Belarusians and Ukrainians.
The Halifax International Security Forum was held in Halifax, Canada. It discussed issues of democracy, the war in Ukraine and global challenges.
What was notable about this year's forum? The website Charter97.org talked about it with the leader of the civil campaign "European Belarus" Andrei Sannikov, who participated in the event:
- The forum is held under a certain slogan - this is a peculiarity of the forum in Halifax. This year's theme was "Democracy." Democracy was discussed in different aspects. They even issued special leaflets with slogans: "Democracy - no need to despair", "Democracy needs dreamers", "Democracy defeats dictatorships", "Democracy determines destiny" and so on.
And the forum was different, perhaps, in the fact that the American side did not send any representatives of the government, military or civilian - it was the first time such a thing happened. But there was an impressive delegation from the United States Senate, perhaps the largest in recent times. So the American point of view was represented quite broadly, in different aspects.
Halifax is probably the most dynamic and serious forum I have ever participated in. The small number of participants allows for a comprehensive discussion of pressing issues, and the presence of a large number of military practitioners, strategists, and analysts at a time when war is being waged gives us the opportunity to hear first-hand assessments and perhaps the most profound assessments.
- The network was simply blown away by a speech by one of the leaders of the Russian opposition, world chess champion Garry Kasparov. He criticized the so-called U.S. peace plan and harshly slammed NATO for its indecisiveness. What was the reaction to this speech at the forum?
- Yes, I was in the hall at the time, and afterwards we discussed the speech with Garry Kasparov and other participants. Indeed, it was a very strong, emotional speech, where Kasparov emphasized that it is Ukraine today that protects what NATO was created for.
NATO was created to protect a free Europe. Today, Ukraine does that, and NATO, on many issues, is self-effacing. Harry threw a question into the audience, "Would you go to war if you were attacked?" - and he himself answered that it was unlikely. In his opinion, everything should be done to help Ukraine.
The reaction was predictable. Ukrainians received the speech with enthusiasm - it sounded what they talk about all the time. And those who do not actively seek to help Ukraine were cool. The reaction was mixed.
- How did the forum participants perceive the so-called US peace plan? Is the West ready to continue supporting Ukraine?
- The West is ready, but the question is the degree of this readiness and its content. So far the readiness remains at the same level. There are obstacles, both artificial and natural, that prevent states from fully supporting Ukraine, supplying the necessary weapons, helping with technical means and so on.
The participants' attitude to the proposed plan was, we can say, 90% negative. Information about this plan was leaked just before the Halifax forum, and this, of course, determined the course of the discussions. Many participants drew from this document even when discussing topics not directly related to Ukraine - they talked about the behavior of the West, the Trump administration with regard to Ukraine, and the processes taking place inside Ukraine. The situation is difficult on all fronts, but this does not mean that the heroic Ukrainian people can become the object of such a brazen surrender to the Russian aggressor, as was prescribed in the "plan". Everyone understands this. Even those who do not want to actively help Ukraine are trying at least to save face, that is why the attitude to the plan was extremely negative.
- Did you manage to raise the topic of Belarus at the forum?
- Yes, of course. Traditionally, many meetings were held both within the framework of the events and on the margins of the forum. I, for example, spoke on the topic "New Neighbors of Belarus", which, of course, includes both Ukraine and Belarus.
There were many meetings, in particular, with the European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius, with other politicians and military officers, such as former Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. Met with colleagues in the World Freedom Congress and other freedom fighters - from Tibet, Xinjiang, from Syria, Venezuela and other regions that, like Belarus, live under the pressure of authoritarianism or dictatorship.
We also discussed events with the Ukrainian delegation. I always emphasize how important the role of Belarus is for Ukraine and, in particular, for its victory in this war.
The questions about Belarus were constantly heard, but I would not say that there was a breakthrough. Unfortunately, Belarus has recently disappeared from the world agenda. In addition, in my opinion, there was not a good change in the attitude towards our country when the Trump administration decided to negotiate about political prisoners, and Europe withdrew itself.
It's good that negotiations are being conducted substantively, it's good that people are being released. But such self-dismissal by Europe does not help to free all political prisoners - on the contrary, it may encourage human trafficking. Because there are still more people arrested than released. This situation is absolutely unacceptable, so I tried to ask the Europeans to take tough measures and demand the immediate release of all political prisoners.
- Who else did you manage to meet on the margins of this event?
- First of all, we managed to communicate with Canadians, with the political elite of Canada, with representatives of the American Senate, with European politicians. There were meetings with freedom fighters. Especially interesting were the conversations in connection with the situation around Venezuela - how Venezuelans themselves assess the situation. I also spoke with representatives of the new Syrian forces that are involved in reforming and revitalizing Syria. It was extremely interesting and useful for us.
In these conversations I proceed from the fact that we should use the world experience - both overthrowing dictatorships and reforming our states after their fall. This should be done not through endless and useless rewriting of the constitution and torn from life papers, but by studying the experience of those states that went through dictatorships and repressions. We know quite well the experience of reforming Eastern Europe, but now it is a different time and we need to understand what resources we will have and what we can count on inside and outside the country.
- We are in one of the key moments of Russia's war against Ukraine. What should we, Belarusians, prepare for?
- To engage in assistance to Ukraine wherever possible and necessary. This is what we have to do and we are doing it to the best of our ability. Helping Ukraine on all fronts: political assistance, moral and material assistance, support, advancing the Ukrainian agenda as it relates to military objectives. There should be no doubt that only Russia's defeat can lead to the restoration of normal life in both Ukraine and Belarus.
We must be prepared for the fact that a mad Putin and a little sane Lukashenko may order Belarusian troops to cross the border and fight against Ukraine when the moment is absolutely critical for the Kremlin. Belarusians, I think, have learned from the history of numerous wars and know what to do: first of all, not to promote wars of conquest. It is possible to cross the border, but only with the purpose of taking the side of Ukraine in this war.