Public commenter at U.S. Helsinki Commission urges treating Belarus like Russia for sanctions, alleges forced transfers of Ukrainian children

At a meeting of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission), a public commenter urged U.S. policymakers to treat Belarus the same as Russia for sanctions and accused Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of allowing Belarus to be used as a staging ground for attacks on Ukraine and for the forced transfer of Ukrainian children.

The commenter's remarks centered on Belarus’s role in the Russia-Ukraine war and on sanction policy. The commenter said it was “Putin who helped [Lukashenko] maintain power” after mass protests in 2020 and called for measures that prevent Russia from using Belarus as a sanctions loophole. The commenter also alleged that Belarus has been used “as a station ground for attacks on Ukraine, and a space to commit other crimes, such as the invading of and the kidnapping of Ukrainian children” and characterized Vladimir Putin’s actions as part of “war criminal Putin’s war in Ukraine.”

Why it matters: The speaker framed the issue as both a human-rights and a policy problem, urging equal treatment of Belarus and Russia under sanctions to close perceived loopholes and to hold leaders accountable. The commenter also called for support for Belarusian opposition leaders and praised Lithuania’s role in advocacy.

Details from the comment: The commenter said Belarus “traded its sovereignty to protect [Lukashenko’s] own interest” and argued that sanctions should be structured to prevent circumvention through Belarusian territory. The speaker praised those fighting for a free and democratic Belarus and urged the release of political prisoners; the speaker specifically praised Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, whom the commenter described as the “actual elected president.” The commenter singled out Lithuania as being “in the forefront of working to promote freedom” for Belarusians and said those activists face substantial personal risk.

The remarks were delivered during the meeting’s public-comment portion; no formal motion or vote followed the comment. The Commission did not record any action in response to the statement during the transcripted segment.

The commenter’s allegations about the forced transfer or kidnapping of Ukrainian children reflect claims raised in multiple fora; in this transcript they are presented as the commenter’s assertions and were not documented by a Commission action or citation to a specific legal finding during the meeting.

Provenance: The article is based on the public-comment block recorded at the start of the meeting (see transcript excerpts below).