Lukashenko's Diplomatic Pivot: Belarus Seeks Western Favor

President Lukashenko of Belarus hosted a US envoy in Minsk, marking efforts to improve relations with the West. Discussions included the US Embassy's reopening, political prisoners, and sanctions. Belarus has released scores of prisoners, seen as a move towards re-engagement. Lukashenko, an ally of Russia, faces criticism for human rights violations.

President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus has taken a notable step in his diplomatic pivot towards the West, hosting a meeting with a US envoy in the capital, Minsk.

The discussions with President Donald Trump's special envoy for Belarus, John Coale, included topics such as the restoration of the US Embassy in Minsk, the release of political prisoners, and the complex web of sanctions that has long entangled the nation.

These meetings highlight a gradual thaw in relations, following a series of prisoner releases tied to the easing of sanctions. Nevertheless, Lukashenko's past as an autocratic ruler, closely allied with Russia, still overshadows Belarus' future on the international stage.

(With inputs from agencies.)