Trump's envoy meets Lukashenko for new talks on Belarus prisoner releases
Coale and Lukashenko revived a prisoner-for-sanctions deal that has already won the release of hundreds of detainees, officials said.
- On Tuesday, U.S. presidential envoy John Coale met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk for their first talks in six months, centered on exchanging political prisoner releases for eased U.S. sanctions.
- Human rights campaigner Ales Bialiatski described the negotiations as a "pure trade" of hostages for sanctions, yet warned that the "machinery of repression" continues running within Belarus despite prisoner releases.
- Last week, Lukashenko demanded the return of $43 million he stated was "stuck at Citibank", suggesting he may be raising his price for future prisoner releases from the United States.
- Experts reported "systematic" human rights violations at every judicial stage in Belarus, where the former Soviet state continues holding more than 900 political prisoners despite the ongoing diplomatic negotiations.
- These talks offer Lukashenko a path to break years of international isolation after being shunned by the West for his repression of opponents and support for Russian President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine.
22 Articles
22 Articles
US Special Envoy John Coale talks to Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk about the release of political prisoners and possible further sanction reliefs.
US President Donald Trump's special envoy to Belarus, John Coale, has arrived in Minsk, the independent Belarusian news portal Zerkalo reported on Tuesday.
Lukashenko had previously expressed his willingness to engage in dialogue with the United States and to discuss the reopening of embassies.
EADaily, 15 September 2026 President Alexander Lukashenka of Belarus will hold talks with representatives of the American leader Donald Trump's team, as reported to the Belarusian leader's press service, Poul One.
Trump's envoy meets Lukashenko for new talks on Belarus prisoner releases
U.S. presidential envoy John Coale met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday for their first talks in six months, as Washington pushes for the release of more political prisoners in return for easing sanctions.
Trump envoy Coale arrives in Belarus for new talks on prisoner releases
Sept 15 (Reuters) - U.S. envoy John Coale, tasked by President Donald Trump with negotiating the release of political prisoners in Belarus, returned to Minsk on Tuesday for his first talks in six months with President Alexander Lukashenko. The Telegr...
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