US and Belarus outline sanctions-for-prisoners swap in interim deal, Belarusian media say
Belarusian state media report that Minsk and Washington have reached an interim agreement under which the US will lift sanctions on two Belarusian companies in exchange for the release of 25 people, following talks with Trump envoy John Coale.
Belarusian state media say Minsk and Washington have agreed to test a limited swap of sanctions relief for detainees’ freedom. Following talks with Trump administration envoy John Coale, the two sides have reached an interim agreement in which the United States will lift sanctions on two Belarusian companies in exchange for the release of 25 people, according to these reports.
The two firms are Lakokraska, which produces paints and varnishes, and Bellesbumprom, a group active in wood‑processing and pulp and paper production. Both have been under US sanctions because of Belarusian authorities’ record of ignoring human rights, according to earlier descriptions of the measures.
In Ukrainian‑language reporting, US special representative Coale is quoted as saying Washington will remove sanctions from Lakokraska and Bellesbumprom in exchange for the release of 25 political prisoners. Belarusian state media, by contrast, describe the prospective releases more generally as involving "25 people" rather than explicitly using the term political prisoners.
Coale has said that the two sides made significant progress in their talks, but there has been no detailed US account of the agreement beyond the Belarusian and regional reporting. The interim deal does not appear to be tied to broader political reforms or changes in Belarus’s alignment with Russia based on the available information.
For those detained in Belarus, the reported arrangement could mean a path to release for a specific group of 25 people, while leaving many others in uncertainty. The focus on just two companies and a fixed number of prisoners suggests a narrow, transactional deal rather than a wholesale shift in policy.
Regionally, the move comes as Belarus continues to face Western sanctions over its domestic crackdown and its role in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Any easing of US measures, even for a limited number of entities, will be closely watched by neighbouring states and by opposition figures in exile for signs of how Washington intends to deal with Minsk in the future.
Concrete steps to look for now include formal US action to lift or suspend sanctions on Lakokraska and Bellesbumprom and public confirmation from Belarus that 25 named detainees have been freed. The identities of those released and any follow‑on negotiations around other sanctioned entities would indicate whether this interim deal remains a one‑off or becomes a model for further exchanges.
Sources
- OSINT