Trump-Backed Prisoner Release in Belarus: A Diplomatic Shift?

In a significant diplomatic development, Belarus released 52 prisoners after an appeal from U.S. President Donald Trump. The release includes an EU employee and marks a notable attempt by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to mend relations with the United States, following years of sanctions and diplomatic isolation.

The U.S. embassy in Vilnius confirmed that the freed individuals, who come from various nationalities, were transported to Lithuania with a U.S. delegation. In exchange for this gesture, the United States agreed to provide sanctions relief to the Belarusian national airline, Belavia, permitting it to buy aircraft components, including Boeings.

Despite the release, prominent critics of Lukashenko's regime, such as Nobel laureate Ales Bialiatski and democracy activist Maria Kalesnikava, remain imprisoned. Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the release but criticized it as a 'trade in human lives.' Meanwhile, the release precedes upcoming military exercises by Belarus and its ally Russia against a backdrop of ongoing regional tensions.

(With inputs from agencies.)