State Dept. Confirms Blinken To Meet With Belarus Opposition Leader Tikhanovskaya Monday

The US State Department confirmed that Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet Belarusian opposition leaded Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in Washington on Monday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th July, 2021) The US State Department confirmed that Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet Belarusian opposition leaded Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in Washington on Monday.

"Secretary Blinken joins Under Secretary Nuland's meeting with Belarussian Opposition Leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, at the Department of State," the State Department said in its public schedule, adding that the meeting would be closed to the media and would take place at 12:10 p.m. local time.

Tikhanovskaya plans to discuss how the US could provide effective assistance to Belarusians and civil society, as well as new sanctions against the regime and closing loopholes in those already adopted, her office said in a statement earlier on Monday.

In Washington, Tikhanovskaya will also meet with State Department Counselor Derek Chollet, followed by meetings with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and several senators on Tuesday, according to her press office.

The Belarusian opposition leader will stay in Washington until July 23. Then, she will have meetings in New York from July 24-27, in San Francisco from July 28-29, and in Los Angeles from July 30-31.

After incumbent Alexander Lukashenko won the Belarusian presidential race in August 2020 for the sixth time, the country witnessed massive protests by the opposition contesting the outcome. The opposition claims electoral fraud, asserting that Tikhanovskaya was the real winner. The West has sided with the opposition and refused to recognize Lukashenko's victory.