Video: Belarus frees prisoners after US lifts potash sanctions

Belarus has released 123 prisoners, including opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova and Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski. The release occurred after the United States agreed to lift sanctions on Belarus. Some of the freed prisoners were taken to Lithuania. The BBC reported on the celebrations surrounding the release, with their correspondent Sarah Rainsford reporting from Lithuania. The reason for the prisoner release is tied to the US decision to lift sanctions against Belarus.

Belarus released 123 prisoners, including opposition leaders like Ales Bialiatski and Maria Kalesnikava, following the lifting of US sanctions on Belarusian potash. The release, the largest since talks began, occurred after discussions between Belarusian officials and a US envoy from the Trump administration. This prisoner release is part of a broader effort by Belarus to improve relations with the West, potentially to reduce its reliance on Russia. The US lifted sanctions on potash as instructed by President Trump. Many of those released, including Ukrainian and Belarusian citizens, were transferred to Ukraine, with some expected to go to Vilnius, Lithuania.

In December 2025, Belarus released 123 prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski and opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova. This release occurred after the United States lifted sanctions on Belarusian potash, a key fertilizer component. The prisoner release, the largest under Lukashenko since talks began with the US, also included 114 Ukrainian prisoners of war and Belarusian political prisoners, according to Ukraine's prisoner of war coordination center. The US decision followed two days of talks between US Special Envoy John Coale and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk. The move signals a potential improvement in relations between the US and Belarus, with expectations of further sanctions relief and renewed international legitimacy for Lukashenko.

Belarus has released 123 prisoners, including prominent opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova and Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski, following talks with a US envoy in Minsk. In response, the US has agreed to lift sanctions on potash, a key Belarusian export. Kolesnikova, imprisoned since 2020, was handed over to Ukraine with 113 other prisoners and will be transported to Poland and Lithuania after medical assistance. The US decision to lift sanctions comes as relations between the two countries normalize, according to the US envoy. The deal is a major achievement for Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who is not recognized as president by the EU or the US.

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.