Belarus has released 123 detainees, including well-known opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova, after an agreement with the United States to ease sanctions on the country.
The move followed talks held in Minsk with Donald Trump’s special envoy for Belarus, John Coale, and marks a rare diplomatic shift involving President Alexander Lukashenko’s government. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski is also among those freed as part of the deal.
The United States agreed to lift sanctions on potash, a major fertiliser input and one of Belarus’s most important exports.
The commodity plays a key role in the country’s economy and has been under restrictions for years. Coale said the decision was part of a broader effort to improve ties between the two countries, noting: "As relations between the two countries normalise, more and more sanctions will be lifted."
Kolesnikova had been jailed since 2020, spending long periods in isolation during her detention. Her sister, Tatiana, who has led an international campaign calling for her release, confirmed that she was able to speak with her shortly after the announcement.
Tatiana told the BBC that the two spoke through a video call following her release.
Several of those freed are expected to arrive in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, in the coming hours.
People have begun gathering outside the US embassy there as they await their arrival. The European Union, however, still does not recognise Lukashenko as Belarus’s president, underscoring continued divisions despite the latest developments.
