Løkke to meet Belarusian opposition leader

During the 76th session of the Nordic Council in Reykjavik, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen will meet with Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who currently lives in exile in Lithuania. Tikhanovskaya ran for president in 2020 against incumbent Alexander Lukashenko after her husband, initially the candidate, was arrested and later sentenced to 18 years in prison. Post-election, she fled to Lithuania for safety. Amidst worsening human rights conditions in Belarus, Rasmussen emphasizes the Nordic responsibility to support oppositional forces like Tikhanovskaya, commending her as an inspiration for a free and democratic Belarus. The meeting comes ahead of Belarus’ next presidential election scheduled for January 26, 2025. The session will also address Ukraine, with an appearance by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj. The Nordic Council aims to strengthen cooperation among its member countries.