Andrei Sannikov: There Are Two Factors That Will Lead To The End Of Lukashenko

• 30.12.2025, 18:27

We have to make Belarus democratic and free.

Changes in our country are coming from the fighting for freedom Ukraine and the impressive potential of Belarusians' hatred towards the criminal regime. The leader of the civil campaign "European Belarus" Andrei Sannikov told about this and more in an interview with the website Charter97.org, summarizing the 2025 year.

- What events were the main ones in the passing year?

- The main event of the passing year was the second coming of President Donald Trump, who sharply changed approaches to many issues on the international agenda, including with regard to Belarus. The main principle of US foreign policy has become the loyalty of foreign states and politicians to Trump personally and his administration. This is a reality that cannot be disregarded. To be reckoned with, but not to subordinate our national interests to it.

- A number of political prisoners have been released, including the leaders of the 2020 protests. Does this event change the situation in Belarus?

- I welcome the release of each of the political prisoners in Belarus. Several groups have been released, and this is a result of international sanctions and the Trump administration's actions. I am especially happy about the release of the veterans of resistance to the regime from European Belarus, who have been an example of courage, and after so many years of torture and isolation have proven to be able to adequately assess the situation in our country.

But Lukashenko continues to play his cynical game. He takes far more hostages than he releases. The U.S. prefers to turn a blind eye to these despicable machinations, but the situation is obviously explosive. It is urgent to raise the issue that prisons and colonies for political prisoners are not places of deprivation of liberty, but places of torture and forced labor in violation of international obligations of Belarus.

- This year you became the Ombudsman of the International Freedom Congress - an organization that unites freedom fighters around the world. Human rights and democracy have taken a back seat even to a country like the United States. Are there any chances to reverse this trend?

- There are always chances. Today the situation with democracy in the world is very bad. There is a blatant attack of dictatorship. Dictatorial regimes take advantage of the fact that after the fall of the Soviet Union, economic and commercial interests have become dominant in many Western countries, which are willing to do business with dictators for their own benefit. But this proliferation of dictatorships and their intensification threatens the democracies themselves.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't say it's all that bad. Just a couple of days ago, protests resumed in Iran, a key point in the world's fight against tyranny, and this after they had been brutally suppressed. Protests in Serbia have forced authoritarian pro-Russian President Alexander Vucic to call new elections next year. In Bolivia, ruled for years by authoritarian leftist Evo Morales, there has been a turnaround in elections: the people have spoken in favor of Rodrigo Paz, a politician who, proclaims a commitment to democratic values. Popular resistance continues in Venezuela, which the U.S. is now helping by force. It is worth taking a closer look at this situation, it can provide necessary experience for the Belarusian opposition.

All over the world, despite the brutal measures of suppression of the opposition, which criminal regimes use to retain power, the resistance to dictatorships continues

- What hopes do you have for 2026?

- First of all, all hopes are connected with Belarus, with the fact that finally this regime, which, in my opinion, has already fed up with everyone, will disappear like a bad lethargic dream.

There is, of course, a great role of Ukraine, which today is fighting - I have said it many times and emphasize it - for our independence and for our freedom. Therefore, the defense of the interests of Ukraine, its independence and territorial integrity by us, the Belarusians, the Belarusian opposition will be an important factor of change in our country as well.

This is what concerns the external factor, but the internal one is the impressive potential of hatred towards the criminal regime, which will definitely lead to its end. The Belarusians miss creation and development and are tired of the narrow-mindedness and boorishness of the current criminal authorities.

The main hope, of course, is to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and return to Belarus, which we have to make democratic and free.