Lukashenko's Prisoner Release Sparks US-Belarus Diplomatic Shift

In a diplomatic breakthrough, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko released 123 prisoners, including Nobel Prize winner Ales Bialiatski, after discussions with a U.S. envoy. In exchange, the U.S. agreed to lift potash sanctions. The move is seen as an effort to reduce Lukashenko's reliance on Russia.

In a significant diplomatic development, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko released 123 prisoners, among them Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski and prominent dissenting voices Maria Kalesnikava and Viktar Babaryka. This release follows two days of intense negotiations with a U.S. envoy representing President Donald Trump.

As part of the agreement, the U.S. administration has agreed to lift sanctions on Belarusian potash, a crucial element in global fertilizer markets. The move is perceived as an attempt to draw Lukashenko away from his close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a move previously met with skepticism by the Belarusian opposition.

This prisoner release marks the largest under Lukashenko since the Trump administration initiated talks aimed at thawing relations with Belarus. Western nations had imposed sanctions on Belarus in response to its crackdown on dissent following a disputed 2020 election and its role in Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

(With inputs from agencies.)