Minsk, Belarus. U.S. presidential envoy John Coale met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday during a mission aimed at negotiating the release of political prisoners. Coale has been tasked by U.S. President Donald Trump with seeking the release of more than 1,100 people human rights groups say are imprisoned for political or human rights activity.
Talks in Minsk and agenda raised by Lukashenko
Lukashenko greeted Coale with a hug and said he was ready to “discuss any issues and answer any questions,” while also saying he wanted to talk about the wars in Ukraine and Iran. In a video clip published by his administration, Lukashenko said his perspective on global issues, especially the Middle East, would be important because the United States was “fighting against our friends,” and said he was ready to discuss the matter frankly.
Belarus ties with Iran and regional conflict
Belarus has friendly ties with Iran, which was attacked by the United States and Israel on February 28 and has responded with strikes on Gulf states in a war that has spread across the Middle East.
Previous releases and U.S. measures
Previous talks between Coale and Lukashenko resulted in the release of dozens of political prisoners last September and a further 123 in December, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski and opposition politicians Maria Kalesnikava and Viktar Babaryka.
In return, the United States removed sanctions on Belarusian potash, described as a key ingredient in fertilisers, and is discussing the possible reopening of its embassy in Minsk. The embassy was closed in 2022 after Russian President Vladimir Putin used Belarus as a launchpad for his invasion of Ukraine.
Western isolation and U.S. calculations
Lukashenko, in power since 1994, was long treated as a pariah by the West because of his human rights record and backing for Russia in the conflict, but Trump’s diplomacy has offered him a path toward easing his isolation.
The U.S. side has said it sees value in cultivating Lukashenko given his close ties with Putin, and says he has offered good advice as the United States seeks to end the four-year war in Ukraine. U.S. officials have told Reuters that Washington also hopes that engaging with Lukashenko will peel him away to some degree from Putin.
What impact could U.S.-Belarus talks have on the release of political prisoners?