During a visit to Washington, the Belarusian opposition leader asked the United States for more help

Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsykhanuskaya appealed to the United States on Monday (July 19) for more help as she began a visit to Washington to meet with senior officials in Biden’s government this week.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has controlled Belarus since 1994 and cracked down on street protests that began during last August’s presidential election, which his opponents say were manipulated to retain power.

Tsikhanoskaya, 38, ran in the elections for her husband, Sergei Tsikhanosky, a video blogger who has been in detention since May 2020 on charges of violating public order, among other things, which he denies. Tsykhanoskaya fled to neighboring Lithuania after Lukashenko’s defeat.

On Monday, she plans to meet with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. A senior administration official said meetings with senior White House officials are scheduled this week.

She told CNN that more help is needed from the United States and the European Union.

The United States has a moral obligation to be with us. I ask the United States to help civil society survive. Stand with Belarus.

The senior official said the United States “stands with” Tsikhanoskaya and the Belarusian people and “will continue to support their democratic aspirations.”