Lukashenko, U.S. Envoy Resume Belarus Prisoner Talks

U.S. Special Envoy for Belarus John Coale returned to Minsk for talks with President Aleksandr Lukashenko focused on securing the release of political prisoners, with Christopher Panico among the U.S. delegation. Coale conveyed current President Donald Trump’s support for the engagement, which has previously helped secure the release of hundreds of detainees in exchange for easing some U.S. sanctions. Belarusian opposition figures and human rights groups welcomed the releases as humanitarian progress but said authorities continue arresting new dissidents, while U.N. experts reported systematic abuses throughout the country’s judicial process. During the same regional trip, Coale met Lithuania’s foreign minister, who pledged support for U.S. efforts but warned that repression in Belarus remains widespread and that Minsk remains aligned with Russia’s military and security structures. The talks were reportedly aimed at securing another potentially large group of prisoner releases.