The administration of Donald Trump intends to reach a "grand agreement" with Alexander Lukashenko regarding the release of Belarusian political prisoners. This was reported by Christopher Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, during a closed meeting with Western diplomats in Vilnius (Lithuania), as mentioned by The New York Times.
On February 12, Donald Trump called Vladimir Putin and announced the start of negotiations aimed at ending the Russo-Ukrainian war. Following this, a representative from the U.S. State Department visited Minsk for the first time in five years.
Christopher Smith held discussions with Alexander Lukashenko and the head of the KGB of Belarus, resulting in the release of three prisoners, including a U.S. citizen.
Both events signaled a shift in Washington's long-standing efforts to isolate leaders who are unpopular in the West due to their repressive policies and the war in Ukraine.
Read also
The Ukrainian Ambassador to Belarus, Kizym, has resigned
During the meeting with diplomats in Vilnius, Smith referred to the release of the three prisoners as a "special operation" and "a tremendous victory and response to the world’s policy through the strength of President Trump."
He noted that the next step should be a "major agreement," under which Lukashenko would release a significant number of political prisoners, including some high-profile cases.
In return, the U.S. is expected to ease sanctions on Belarusian banks and the export of potash fertilizers, a major product of Belarus.
According to attendees at the Vilnius meeting, Smith received assurances from Lukashenko that he was willing to ease repressions in Belarus.
The American diplomat identified the main goals of the U.S. in this process as the release of a large number of political prisoners, as well as the intention to "give Lukashenko a bit of a respite from Russia's sphere of influence."
Officially, the State Department has not commented on contacts and agreements with Lukashenko.
Read also
Putin will do everything to drag Belarus into the war — Zelensky (video)
According to the human rights organization "Viasna," there are currently 1,226 political prisoners in Belarus. In recent months, Alexander Lukashenko has signed decrees pardoning over 200 prisoners who were sentenced following the protests in Belarus in 2020.
It is worth noting that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry described the so-called elections in Belarus, which took place on January 26, as a farce. According to the local CEC, Alexander Lukashenko received 86.6% of the votes.