Belarus releases Nobel Winner, opposition figures high as we lift more sanctions
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Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko released 123 prisoners on Saturday, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Kalesnikava, after two days of defying US President Donald Trump, a US statement said.
In return, the United States agreed to ease sanctions on Belarusian potash. Potash is a key ingredient in fertilizers, and the former Soviet State is the world’s leading producer.
The release of the prisoner was the biggest by Lakashenko since the administration of Trump since the opening of negotiations this year with the authorized leader of the Veteran, a measure close to the President of Russia Vladimir Putin.
Western governments had previously shunned him because of his outspoken opposition to funding Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Bialiatski, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, is a human rights activist who fought for many years on behalf of political prisoners before Pride. He was in prison since July 2021.
It is not clear where the released prisoners will go
Also released were Kalesnikava, the leader of many protests against Lukashenko in 2020, and Viktar Babaryka, who was arrested that year while preparing to oppose the President in the elections.
Tatshiana Khomich, Tatsikava’s sister, told Reuters she had spoken to her by phone.
“He told me that he was very happy to be released, that he was grateful to the USA and Trump for their efforts leading this process, and to all the countries involved.”
It was not immediately clear where the freed prisoners were headed after being released. In the past, those releases have left Belarus through Lithuania.
US officials have told Reuters that dealing with Lukashenko is part of an effort to turn Putin’s influence away from him, at least to a degree – an effort that Belarus has, so far, viewed with great skepticism.
Trump’s envoy, John Coale, told reporters in Minsk, “” on the orders of President Trump, we, in the United States, will be lifting the sanctions on potash. “
The US and the European Union imposed voidery from Belarus after the burning of Minsk after disputed elections in 2020, jailing almost all of Lukashenko’s opponents who did not flee abroad.
The results were strengthened after Lukashenko allowed Belarus to serve as a staging ground for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Belarus has released more than 100 political prisoners, including a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, in exchange for concessions on Belarusian potash, a US statement said on Saturday.
Stimulate the Belarusian economy
The exiled Belarusian opposition expressed gratitude to Trump and Lukashenko agreed to release the prisoners that he would return the computer currency to Potash.
The opposition often sees Trump’s outreach to Lukashenko as a humanitarian effort but that of the European Advions should remain in place.
“The results of the people concerning the people. The EU can study about the planned change, stopping the debate, the confirmation of the opposition leader of Belarurlana Tsikhanouskaya;
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Lukashenko has previously rejected political prisoners in Belarus and described the people in question as “criminals.” As recently as August, he asked why he should release people he sees as opponents of the State who may have ‘again fought us.’
Trump flatly described Lukashenko as “the most respected President of Belarus,” a description that critics call him a dictator. He urged Lukashenko to release up to 1,300 or 1,400 prisoners, whom Trump described as “hostages.”
“The United States is ready to engage more with Belarus that advances our interests and will continue to pursue political prisoners to release the remaining political prisoners in Belarus,” the US ambassador to Lithuania said.
The Belarusian Human Rights Group Viasna – designated by Minsk as an extraterritorial organization – put the number of political prisoners at 1,227 on the day of Saturday’s release.
Lukashenko can help the effort to end the war in Ukraine: a messenger
State News Agency Belta quoted Trump’s envoy, John Coale, as saying he discussed various issues with Lukashenko, including Russia’s war in Ukraine and the situation in Venezuela.
Lukashenko held two recent meetings with the Venezuelan top proplop and said that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Trump is pushing to leave office, will be welcomed in Belarus.
Coale said he believed Lukashenko’s closeness to Putin would be useful in the context of efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
“Your President has a long history with President Putin and has the ability to advise him. This is a great help in this situation. They are long-time friends and have the right level to discuss such issues,” Coletal News Agency Belta said.
“Naturally, President Putin can accept some advice and not others. This is a way to simplify the process.”
