Belarus Frees Prominent Political Prisoners as U.S. Lifts Some Trade Sanctions

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Valerie Hopkins and Tomas DapkusDecember 13, 2025 at 04:15 PM

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In December 2025, Belarus released over 100 prisoners, including opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova and Nobel laureate Ales Bialiatski. The release occurred after talks between U.S. Special Envoy John Coale and Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko in Minsk. In response, the United States lifted sanctions on Belarusian potash fertilizer. The freed prisoners, including Belarusian, Ukrainian, and other foreign citizens, were received in Ukraine. These actions signify a thawing of relations between the U.S. and Belarus.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Belarus ×450% United States ×360% Ales Bialiatski ×270% Maria Kolesnikova ×380% Aleksandr G. Lukashenko ×4100%

Keywords

political prisoners 100% belarus 90% u.s. sanctions 80% opposition leader 70% rapprochement 70% trade sanctions 60% nobel laureate 60% thawing relations 50% aleksandr g. lukashenko 50% human rights 40%