FILE - In this July 27, 2021, record photograph Belarusian absorption person Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya poses for a photograph successful New York. Tsikhanouskaya, authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko's main predetermination challenger, who was forced to permission Belarus nether authoritative unit aft the election, met with President Joe Biden connected Wednesday, July 28. (AP Photo/Robert Bumsted, File)

FILE - In this July 27, 2021, record photograph Belarusian absorption person Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya poses for a photograph successful New York. Tsikhanouskaya, authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko's main predetermination challenger, who was forced to permission Belarus nether authoritative unit aft the election, met with President Joe Biden connected Wednesday, July 28. (AP Photo/Robert Bumsted, File) (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden spoke retired for embattled pro-democracy forces successful Belarus connected Wednesday successful a White House gathering with that country's main absorption leader.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who was forced to permission Belarus aft unsuccessfully challenging President Alexander Lukashenko successful 2020 elections that the absorption and the West accidental were rigged, has been touring Washington this month, seeking factual U.S. backing for her country's opposition.

Biden tweeted that the gathering was an honor. “The United States stands with the radical of Belarus successful their quest for ideology and cosmopolitan quality rights,” helium wrote.

The authoritarian Lukashenko has faced down months of protests triggered by his predetermination to a sixth word successful August 2020. An extended crackdown since past has seen much than 35,000 radical arrested and thousands beaten by police.

The Biden medication announced successful May it was imposing sanctions connected Lukashenko's authorities aft it forced down a Ryanair rider pitchy to seizure and detain a Belarus writer traveling aboard. Russian President Vladimir Putin has drawn person to Lukashenko arsenic Western condemnation of the Belarus leader's actions increases.

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In a statement, Tsikhanouskaya said she had urged U.S. officials to enactment negotiations aimed astatine caller nationalist elections nether planetary monitoring, and to supply exigency backing for Belarus' civilian nine and quality media.

“I asked President Biden to basal with Belarus and enactment our antiauthoritarian question with factual actions," she said.

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Knickmeyer reported from Oklahoma City.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This worldly whitethorn not beryllium published, broadcast, rewritten oregon redistributed without permission.