Prokopiev: In the team, there are only I and Siarhei Tsikhanouski

Vadzim Prokopiev and Siarhei Tsikhanouski.

“It can now be confidently stated: Siarhei Tsikhanouski has defied Lukashenka's expectations,” Prokopiev said.

In his opinion, when Lukashenka “started with aces and handed Tsikhanouski over as a 'big bribe' to Trump,” he was counting on a completely different scenario.

Prokopiev believes that Lukashenka expected Tsikhanouski to “become such a first lady, quietly sit on grants, find a place in the Office,” and turn into an “annoying blogger with a dwindling audience.” However, according to him, what was least expected in Minsk was that Tsikhanouski would try to become “an independent political figure, also with his own doctrine.”

Prokopiev emphasizes that Tsikhanouski is now engaged in active international work:

“He spoke at hearings in the U.S. Congress. He attended one of the most important international security conferences [in Munich]. (…)

Siarhei continues to meet the right people and is currently preparing to speak at Columbia University. He has also received several more invitations, which he will announce himself in due course. These are interesting invitations, and there he will be able to defend his political doctrine and promote the interests of Belarus.”

At the same time, Prokopiev urges not to expect quick results from Tsikhanouski's mission in the USA:

“This will be long, methodical work — and with minimal resources. We don't have an office. In the team, there are only I and Siarhei.”

The budget, according to him, is provided not by grants, but by “American and Belarusian business in exile.”

“This budget allows Siarhei to live modestly, go on business trips, and engage in personal diplomacy. Siarhei is raising children and studying the language,” Prokopiev said.

Separately, he touched upon the topic of criticism against Siarhei Tsikhanouski. According to him, it comes not only from Lukashenka's propaganda.

“He is systematically and methodically devalued from our side too. And this is a whole squad of voices. In this squad, there are people who are simply narrow-minded and ungrateful. But if you look closely, there are also voices with their own selfish interests.”

However, Prokopiev is confident: “Siarhei will cope.”

“He has gained a support group. If you noticed, Pavel Seviarynets spoke out in his support quite extensively and argumentatively. And Siarhei Sparysh recently exposed slander that Mikalai Statkevich gave some assessments of Tsikhanouski at the border before turning back. (…)

I want to say: attempts to devalue and ruin Siarhei's reputation have failed. But there will be more. They will attack his reputation, and certainly my reputation. There are interested parties in this. And our society is traumatized. That's why it's ruthless. But Siarhei will cope.”

What to expect from Tsikhanouski in the USA?

Answering the question about the possibility of creating a “center of power” in the USA, Prokopiev speaks reservedly. According to him, with resources, a fully functional embassy could be created to work in several directions at once: personal diplomacy, cooperation with the expert community, work with the press, and academic circles.

But, as Prokopiev assures, a significant part of this work can also be done with small resources.

“Probably, [in the future] more people will be needed. But not yet. For now, Siarhei is preparing himself, catching up on what he missed, and learning the language. At some point, Siarhei's institutionalization will probably inevitably occur. I think an organization will emerge,” Prokopiev states.

In Tsikhanouski's mission to the USA, he identifies two goals. The first is tactical: “to promote the continued liberation of people.” According to him, they have “ideas and access to individuals who are involved in this on the American side.” The second is strategic: “to promote the liberation of the country,” for which a “clear, realistic plan” is needed. And such a plan, as Prokopiev assures, Tsikhanouski has. It needs to be discussed “with the right people.”

However, quick results should not be expected.

“If you think you can immediately go to [U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared] Kushner and quickly explain to him the benefits for U.S. national security from the 'Finlandization' of Belarus — and the matter will be resolved… This is a naive understanding of how it all works.

Siarhei needs to gain influence and reputation within the USA. He is interesting; his life story is unusual. He commands respect. He needs to be present in many places. This is systematic work. And personal diplomacy, including reaching out to such individuals [as Kushner], is more the culmination of this work than its next step,” Prokopiev explained.

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