Til Schweiger apologizes after Belarus trip

German actor Til Schweiger wrote apologies in his Instagram stories after his trip to Belarus and a press conference in Minsk.

According to Schweiger, his statements at the press conference in the Belarusian capital were taken out of context.

"I attended the press conference to speak exclusively about my participation in the film's advertising campaign and to share the creative work behind it with the audience. I was assured that the event would be solely about the ad and its content. Unfortunately, I found that some of the answers were taken out of context and used for messages that do not reflect my beliefs," Schweiger said.

The artist also emphasized that his participation in the ad campaign is unrelated to his political or ideological stance.

As Euroradio reported, Til Schweiger visited Minsk to shoot a promotional video dedicated to drift racing. He took part in a press conference organized by the Belarusian state media. At the press conference, the actor said he had Googled Belarus information: "I've heard only the best things about your country."

The leader of the Belarusian democratic forces, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, criticized Schweiger's arrival in Belarus. She said she was very disappointed that the actor had come "now that terror reigns in the country." She suggested that Schweiger use his arrival to meet with Belarusian political prisoners or record a video supporting them.