US prepares big deal with Lukashenko that could reduce Russia’s influence in Belarus - NYT
Donald Trump's administration will offer Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko to release political prisoners in exchange for easing banking and export restrictions.
On Wednesday, February 12, 2025, American diplomat Chris Smith spoke about this with both the self-proclaimed president and the head of the State Security Committee of Belarus, Ivan Tertel, the American newspaper The New York Times wrote, Censor.NET reports.
According to the newspaper, Smith learned about this from diplomats with whom he met in Vilnius after returning from Minsk, where he met with and released one US citizen and two unjustly imprisoned Belarusian citizens.
According to the newspaper, this was Lukashenka's first meeting with a high-ranking representative of the US State Department in the last five years. It could be the beginning of the process of restoring relations between the US and Belarus, which remains Russia's closest ally.
During a speech at the US Embassy on February 12, Christopher Smith called the release of the three Belarusian political prisoners a "huge victory" and linked it to President Donald Trump's "Peace through Strength" policy.
In the future, Lukashenko can release "many" people sentenced to prison for political reasons and in return will receive from the West the easing of sanctions against Belarusian banks and potash exports, the newspaper's sources said, citing Smith's words.
According to the newspaper, another key goal of the United States, according to Smith, is to create conditions for Lukashenko that would allow him to at least partially escape from Russia's influence.
Smith noted that Lukashenka showed no signs of ill health, looked confident and was in full control of the situation.
As a reminder, on February 12, three political prisoners, including one American, were released from custody in Belarus.
