Biden meets Belarusian opposition leader at White House

WASHINGTON

US President Joe Biden met Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya at the White House on Wednesday.

"I was honored to meet with @Tsihanouskaya at the White House this morning. The United States stands with the people of Belarus in their quest for democracy and universal human rights," Biden tweeted.

Tsikhanouskaya thanked Biden "for a powerful sign of solidarity with millions of fearless Belarusians who are peacefully fighting for their freedom.

"Today, Belarus is on the frontline of the battle between democracy and autocracy. The world stands with us. Belarus will be a success story," Tsikhanouskaya wrote on Twitter.

Belarus has been rocked by mass protests since President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled the ex-Soviet nation for more than 26 years, was reelected to a sixth term in the Aug. 9 election last year that his opponents claimed was rigged.

Tsikhanouskaya, who now lives in exile in Lithuania, was Lukashenko's main challenger.

One week ago, Tsikhanouskaya met National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

"The United States, together with partners and allies, will continue to hold the Lukashenka regime accountable for its actions, including through the imposition of sanctions," said Sullivan in a statement on July 20.