Belarus & US in Sudden Thaw: Prisoners Freed, Sanctions Dropped

A high-level meeting in Minsk has signaled a dramatic warming of relations between Belarus and the United States, culminating in a major prisoner release by the Belarusian government and the reciprocal lifting of sanctions by Washington. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko hosted U.S. presidential envoy John Cole, declaring his readiness for a “big deal” and immediately demonstrating goodwill by pardoning dozens of prisoners.

In a move confirmed by his press service, Lukashenko pardoned a total of 52 individuals, who have reportedly already left the country. The group includes foreign nationals from Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Germany, France, and the UK, some of whom were convicted of espionage and extremist activities. The gesture was framed as a humanitarian act, considering factors such as age, health, and family reunification.

In turn, Washington has made a significant concession. During the meeting, envoy John Cole officially announced the removal of U.S. sanctions against Belarus’s national airline, Belavia. “This decision was made by the president, who said, ‘Do it immediately,'” Cole stated, confirming that the move has been approved by all relevant U.S. departments. Cole also expressed Washington’s intent to reopen its embassy in Minsk and foster stronger economic ties.

The diplomatic exchange was marked by personal overtures. Cole presented Lukashenko with a personal birthday letter from President Donald Trump, which was unusually signed with his first name, “Donald” — a detail Cole described as a “special sign of friendship.” Lukashenko reciprocated the warm tone, floating a comprehensive solution for the contentious issue of political prisoners. “If Donald insists that he is ready to take all these freed people to his country… let’s try to work out a global deal,” Lukashenko proposed, referencing what he called Trump’s preference for a “big deal.”

Lukashenko acknowledged that the fate of prisoners is a key concern for the U.S., a topic recently raised in Washington during a visit by opposition figure Sergei Tikhanovsky. While dismissing domestic laws against political crimes, the Belarusian leader indicated a new willingness to negotiate. “I am ready to discuss this topic… We are absolutely not in favor of these people being in correctional colonies,” he told the American envoy.

This rapprochement with the United States stands in stark contrast to Belarus’s deteriorating relations with its European neighbors. As Minsk and Washington discussed normalization, Poland announced it would close its border to all traffic from Belarus starting September 12. The Polish government cited security threats posed by the upcoming joint Belarusian-Russian military exercises, “Zapad-2025,” highlighting a significant divergence between American and European strategies toward Lukashenko’s government.