Lukashenko Frees Major Rival After Marathon Talks with US Envoy

In a stunning political development, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned and released prominent opposition figure Siarhei Tsikhanouski. The move came immediately after a marathon six-and-a-half-hour meeting between Lukashenko and U.S. President Trump’s special envoy, Keith Kellogg, which concluded on Saturday.

Tsikhanouski, a popular blogger and the husband of exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, was serving a lengthy prison sentence and was considered one of Lukashenko’s most formidable personal rivals. His release was part of a pardon for 14 individuals, including citizens of Japan, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, and the United States, who were convicted on extremism and terrorism charges. The presidential administration officially described the decision to free Tsikhanouski as a gesture of “humane considerations, with the aim of reuniting the family.”

Footage from the high-stakes meeting portrayed Lukashenko as exceptionally welcoming. “You’ve made a lot of noise in the world with your arrival,” he told the American general, adding a promise for a “sincere and open” conversation. Kellogg responded more formally, noting, “We live in a very dangerous time, when the crises we face can escalate sharply if we are not wise and fair.” The discussion reportedly covered a wide range of global issues, from the conflict in Ukraine to the Middle East.

Belarusian officials have framed the talks as a step towards the full normalization of relations with Washington, including the restoration of full-fledged embassies. However, they also rushed to reassure key allies. Valentin Rybakov, Belarus’s permanent representative to the UN, stressed that Minsk would “never do anything to the detriment” of its strategic partners, Russia and China, and that the American side “understands and recognizes this.”

Political analysts, however, view the sudden release of Tsikhanouski as a calculated and pragmatic move by Lukashenko, who is known for his political cunning. The gesture is interpreted not as a sign of softening but as a strategic play aimed at the West. Observers believe that Lukashenko, while heavily dependent on Moscow, is seeking to regain some geopolitical room for maneuver and may be looking for sovereignty guarantees from the United States amid the ongoing regional instability.

This unexpected diplomatic thaw and prisoner release could signal an attempt by the Belarusian leader to test the waters for potential concessions from the West. Analysts suggest that if this gambit proves successful, it could pave the way for the release of more political prisoners as Lukashenko continues to navigate the complex geopolitical landscape between Russia and the West.