Lukashenko Hosts US Special Envoy Coale Amid Prisoner Release and Sanctions Relief Talks

High-Level Talks in Minsk Signal Thaw in US-Belarus Relations

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko hosted US Special Envoy John Coale for two days of talks in Minsk on Friday, December 12, and Saturday, December 13, 2025. The high-level meetings focused on improving relations between Belarus and the West, with a significant emphasis on the release of political prisoners held in Belarus. The discussions culminated in the United States announcing the lifting of sanctions on Belarusian potash, while President Lukashenko pardoned 123 prisoners.

Key Outcomes: Sanctions Lifted, Prisoners Pardoned

During the productive two-day talks, US Special Envoy John Coale confirmed that the United States was lifting sanctions on Belarusian potash. This move was described by Coale as a 'very good step' for Belarus, with further discussions on sanctions expected to continue as relations normalize. In a reciprocal gesture, President Lukashenko announced the pardon of 123 individuals, a development that Coale described as part of an ongoing process of 'lifting sanctions, releasing prisoners' and continuous dialogue between Washington and Minsk.

Context of Recent Diplomatic Engagements

These latest talks follow a period of intensified diplomatic engagement between the US and Belarus. John Coale, a former personal lawyer to Donald Trump and currently serving as deputy special envoy to Ukraine, was nominated as the US Special Envoy for Belarus by President Trump on November 9, 2025. This nomination formalized his role after he had already played a pivotal part in earlier negotiations. In September 2025, Coale's involvement in talks in Minsk led to the release of 52 political prisoners and the subsequent lifting of US sanctions on Belarus's state airline, Belavia. The US goal, as stated by Coale, is to normalize relations with Belarus, including the potential reopening of the US embassy in Minsk.

The Ongoing Issue of Political Prisoners

Despite the recent releases, human rights organizations continue to highlight the significant number of political prisoners in Belarus. According to the human rights group Viasna, approximately 1,200 political prisoners remain incarcerated, including its founder, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski. The Belarusian opposition-in-exile, led by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, has welcomed Coale's appointment and the efforts to secure prisoner releases, viewing it as a sign that Belarus and its political prisoners remain a focus of US attention. Tsikhanouskaya noted that nearly 100 political hostages had been freed in recent months due to the efforts of Coale's team.

Path Towards Further Normalization

The meetings between President Lukashenko and Special Envoy Coale represent a continued effort to break Belarus's diplomatic isolation from Western nations, which intensified following the widely disputed 2020 presidential election and Belarus's support for Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. While the recent developments are seen as positive steps, the path to full normalization of relations is expected to be a gradual process, with further negotiations anticipated on remaining sanctions and the release of additional detainees.