“Our main goal is to stand by Trump’s side and help him consolidate peace.” This statement, which belongs to the Belarusian president, accompanied the release of 52 prisoners of various nationalities on Thursday. Repeated appeals were preceded.
The statement itself is not surprising, considering that the “ice” between Minsk and Washington had already been “broken” by August 15 and the two men’s telephone conversation on the sidelines of Trump’s meeting with him.
Eagerness
Prior to the release of the prisoners, a meeting was preceded by Lukashenko with Trump’s deputy representative John Cole, in which the intention of reopening their embassy at the Belta News Agency. This is a significant progress in the two countries’ bilateral relations if one considers that the US had closed their embassy in Minsk in February 2022, arguing that Belarus was used by the Russian army as a place of transit and refueling troops with the final destination of Ukraine.
It is noteworthy that the Belta news agency clarified that citizens included citizens of France, Britain, Poland, Germany, Latvia, a total of 14 countries. Among the liberated is the Belarusian blogger and a partner of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Igor Locik.
The American bonus
But the notables do not end here. According to the same source, Cole said Washington was lifting sanctions on the Belavia state airline. “The Belarus National Airline, Belavia, will receive sanctions after the release of prisoners and constructive cooperation, the US embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania, cited Cole. It is a special bonus, in a backlash for the consistency of Lukashenko in Washington’s demands, after launching the release of 16 prisoners in July.
Belarus like Russia
“If Donald insists on welcoming all these prisoners, God bless you, let us try to come up with a big, world deal,” Lukasenko said, reciprocating the singular that his American confession allowed him to a letter to his letter.
The explanation of the Minsk and Washington approach should of course be sought not by the individuals but in Ukraine and the White House’s attempt to sit at the Kremlin’s peace negotiations. Thus, Trump’s attempt to obtain an extra lever for Moscow favors Lukashenko’s position. This position is reinforced further by
But there are other recipients. The gradual abolition of a $ 1.6 billion military aid program with key recipients of the Baltic countries, when citizens of the same countries were released, could be characterized by a prime method of carrot and whip.
All this while the European Union is preparing for the imposition of the 19th package of economic sanctions on Russia and there is no clarification by the US government on what kind of sanctions it could adopt itself. In this environment, Cole’s statements that the US intends to use Lukashenko as an intermediate are revealing to Washington’s priorities.
