On September 11, Alexander Lukashenko held talks in Minsk with John Cole, a representative of the US president. It was after this meeting that 52 people were released from custody in Belarus.
Following the agreements, the United States announced the lifting of sanctions on Belavia, which had been in place since 2023. In addition, the American side said it was ready to return its embassy to Minsk.
Valentin Rybakov, Belarus’s permanent representative to the UN, took part in the negotiations. Commenting on the outcome, he told journalists that issues accumulated over the years had been hindering the development of bilateral relations.
“The issues accumulated over the years simply prevent us from moving forward and developing our relations,” Rybakov said.
According to him, a number of sanctions-related issues had built up because of the policy of the previous US administration. He said those restrictions, in Minsk’s view, were blocking the development of political, economic and trade ties, as well as cooperation in other areas.
During the meeting, Cole handed Lukashenko a letter from US President Donald Trump, signed only with the name “Donald”. Cole described it as a “rare” and “special sign of friendship.”
In addition to the letter, the US representative presented Lukashenko with a gift: a set of cufflinks bearing an image of the White House.