Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko ordered the release of 250 political prisoners on Thursday following a meeting with President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Belarus, John Coale, in Minsk. Coale described the move as a “significant humanitarian milestone” and a reflection of Trump’s “commitment to direct, hard-nosed diplomacy.”

The release accompanies U.S. action to lift sanctions on two Belarusian state banks and the Finance Ministry, as well as removing the country’s top potash producers from a sanctions list.

Belarus’ opposition leader-in-exile, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, welcomed the news, calling it “a moment of great relief and hope” for families reunited with imprisoned loved ones. She credited Trump and his officials with helping secure the humanitarian measure.

This latest release follows a December 2025 agreement in which 123 political prisoners were freed and sent abroad, coinciding with the previous easing of sanctions on Belarus’ potash sector.

A close ally of Russia, Belarus has faced international isolation for years due to human rights abuses and its support for Moscow during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Lukashenko, in power for over three decades, cracked down on protests following a disputed 2020 presidential election, detaining tens of thousands of demonstrators and forcing opposition leaders into exile or prison.

Recent prisoner releases, including figures such as Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski and dissidents Siarhei Tsikhanouski, Viktar Babaryka, and Maria Kolesnikova, appear aimed at improving relations with the West. Trump has previously engaged directly with Lukashenko on these issues, including a phone call in August 2025 in which a face-to-face meeting was suggested.

Human rights groups note that more than 1,100 political prisoners remain in Belarus. Tsikhanouskaya stressed that the broader goal remains the full release of all those imprisoned and an end to repression in the country.