Sibiga and Tikhanovskaya exchanged historical artifacts
During a meeting with Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga exchanged symbolic historical gifts with her, including archival documents from the era of the Ukrainian People’s Republic (UNR) and the Belarusian People’s Republic (BPR), as well as a copy of an antique map of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Both sides described this gesture as a reminder of their shared history and the ties between their peoples that existed centuries ago.
The meeting between Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and her delegation turned not merely into a diplomatic conversation, but a unique exchange of historical memory, where instead of official souvenirs, the parties exchanged documents and artifacts that serve as a reminder of the deep ties between Ukraine and Belarus dating back to the early 20th century.
Sybiga reported on Facebook that the Ukrainian side had handed over to the Belarusian opposition copies of archival diplomatic documents from the era of the Ukrainian and Belarusian People’s Republics, provided by the State Archival Service of Ukraine, emphasizing that these are genuine evidence of official cooperation between the two states at that time in 1917–1918. “Sviatlana and the entire Belarusian delegation were deeply impressed… All these documents attest to the close diplomatic and interpersonal ties between Ukraine and Belarus, in particular the official interaction between our independent states in 1917–1918,” the minister wrote.
In response, the Belarusian delegation presented the Ukrainian side with a copy of one of the most famous historical maps — the 1613 Radziwill-Sirotka Map of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, on which, according to Sybiga, the name “Ukraine” appears for the first time, added thanks to the influence of the Ukrainian nobility, particularly Vasyl-Konstantin Ostrozky.
The minister emphasized that such symbolic gestures have not only historical but also contemporary significance, as returning to one’s own history helps peoples better understand themselves today and shape a future free from distortions and imposed myths. “We are restoring justice to Ukraine and our neighbors. I firmly believe that restoring the truth about the past gives us strength to fight in the present and hope for the future,” Sibiga concluded.
Sibiga commented on the Kremlin’s threats of new strikes on Kyiv.
Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga, together with representatives of over 70 foreign diplomatic missions, visited the site of the Russian strike in Lukyanivka, Kyiv, and paid tribute to the victims.
