Belarus has announced the release of 52 prisoners in a move described by state media as a gesture of goodwill following an appeal from former United States President Donald Trump. The decision marks one of the largest mass pardons under President Alexander Lukashenko’s rule and comes amid renewed diplomatic engagement between Minsk and Washington.
Among those freed were 38 Belarusian nationals and 14 foreign citizens, including individuals from Germany, Poland, France, the United Kingdom, Latvia, and Lithuania. Political prisoner Mikola Statkevich, a leading opposition figure who had been jailed since 2020, was also released. The prisoners crossed into Lithuania with support from a U.S. delegation, where they were welcomed by officials and family members.
In exchange, the U.S. agreed to ease sanctions on Belavia, Belarus’s national airline, allowing the company to service and obtain parts for its Boeing fleet. For Belarus, this concession offers a lifeline to its struggling aviation sector, which has faced operational setbacks due to sanctions.
Trump, who has made closer ties with Belarus part of his foreign policy agenda, praised the release as a breakthrough. He has also floated the possibility of reopening the U.S. embassy in Minsk, which has been closed for over a decade. The move underscores his administration’s effort to balance diplomacy with human rights concerns in Eastern Europe.
While rights groups and opposition leaders welcomed the releases, they cautioned that the gesture should not be mistaken for systemic reform. Human rights monitors say more than 1,200 political prisoners remain behind bars in Belarus. Critics argue that Lukashenko’s decision is aimed at improving his international image rather than signaling genuine change.
Still, the mass pardon represents a rare moment of compromise in Belarus’s tense relationship with the West. Whether it leads to deeper reforms or remains a symbolic concession will depend on Lukashenko’s next steps and Washington’s continued pressure.