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| Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, one of the released Belarusian prisoners, smiles surrounded by his supporters as he arrives at the US Embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Saturday. |
In a major diplomatic breakthrough, the United States has lifted sanctions on Belarus’s critical potash fertilizer sector in exchange for the release of 123 political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski and prominent opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova.
The release, confirmed by human rights organizations and Belarusian state media, marks the largest single prisoner release since Washington began direct talks with authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko earlier this year. Since July 2024, Belarus has freed more than 430 political prisoners as part of a broader effort to ease international isolation and restore relations with the West.
A Sanctions-for-Prisoners Diplomatic Breakthrough
The agreement followed two days of high-level talks in Minsk between President Lukashenko and John Coale, the U.S. Special Envoy for Belarus. After the negotiations, Coale announced that Washington would lift sanctions on Belarus’s potash industry, one of the country’s most important sources of foreign revenue.
“We’re lifting sanctions, releasing prisoners. We’re constantly talking to each other,” Coale said, according to Belarus’s state news agency Belta. He described the talks as “very productive” and said the normalization of relations was “our goal,” adding that the relationship was moving from “baby steps to more confident steps.”
A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks, called the prisoner release “a significant milestone in U.S.–Belarus engagement.” The official confirmed that those freed included one U.S. citizen, six citizens of U.S.-allied countries, and five Ukrainian nationals.
Prominent Figures Regain Freedom
The release of several internationally known prisoners drew immediate global attention and praise from human rights groups.
- Ales Bialiatski (63) — Founder of Viasna, Belarus’s oldest human rights organization. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022 while imprisoned, Bialiatski had been serving a 10-year sentence on charges widely condemned as politically motivated. Rights groups had repeatedly warned about his deteriorating health in a penal colony known for harsh conditions.
- Maria Kolesnikova (43) — A leading figure in the 2020 mass protests against Lukashenko. She became a symbol of resistance after tearing up her passport to avoid forced deportation. A professional flautist, she was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2021 on charges of conspiring to seize power.
- Other released figures — Former presidential candidate Viktar Babaryka, journalist Maryna Zolatava, and human rights activists Valiantsin Stefanovic and Uladzimir Labkovich.
Key Prisoners Released (December 13, 2025)
| Name | Role / Background | Sentence / Charges |
|---|---|---|
| Ales Bialiatski | Nobel Peace Laureate; Founder of Viasna | 10 years; smuggling & financing actions violating public order |
| Maria Kolesnikova | Opposition leader; 2020 protest figure | 11 years; conspiracy to seize power |
| Viktar Babaryka | Former banker; presidential candidate | 14 years; financial crimes (widely seen as political) |
| Maryna Zolatava | Editor-in-chief of Tut.by | Charges of harming national security |
Where the Freed Prisoners Were Sent
After their release, most prisoners were transferred out of Belarus. Ukrainian authorities confirmed receiving 114 civilians at the border, including five Ukrainian nationals. A smaller group, including Bialiatski, was transported to Lithuania.
Franak Viachorka, senior adviser to exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, suggested the move was deliberate. “I think Lukashenko decided to deport people to Ukraine to show that he is in control of the situation,” he said.
The Economic Stakes: Why Potash Matters
The lifting of sanctions targets a crucial vulnerability in Belarus’s economy. Before Western sanctions, Belarus accounted for nearly 20% of global potash fertilizer exports, a vital input for global agriculture.
Sanctions imposed after the violent crackdown on protests following the disputed 2020 election — and later for Belarus’s support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — crippled the sector. Measures targeted state-owned producer Belaruskali and cut off key export routes through Lithuania’s Klaipeda port.
“Sanctions by the U.S., EU and their allies have significantly weakened Belarus’s potash industry, depriving the country of a major source of foreign currency,” said Anastasiya Luzgina of the Belarusian Economic Research Center (BEROC).
Analysts note that the U.S. move breaks from previous close coordination with the European Union and the United Kingdom, whose sanctions remain more comprehensive and economically damaging.
Cautious Reactions from the Opposition
While welcoming the humanitarian outcome, Belarus’s democratic opposition urged caution. Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said the releases show Lukashenko feels the pressure of Western sanctions.
“The freeing of political prisoners means that Lukashenko understands the pain of sanctions,” she said, but warned against optimism: “Lukashenko hasn’t changed his policies. The repression continues, and he still supports Russia’s war against Ukraine.”
She emphasized that EU sanctions must remain in place, arguing they are essential for long-term democratic change.
What Comes Next?
U.S. Special Envoy John Coale suggested further releases could follow, hinting that as many as 1,000 political prisoners remain behind bars. Talks reportedly also touched on the war in Ukraine, with U.S. officials viewing Lukashenko’s close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin as a possible diplomatic channel.
While the prisoner release is being celebrated as a humanitarian victory, it highlights a complex geopolitical trade-off involving sanctions relief, regional security, and human rights. The move signals a tentative thaw in U.S.–Belarus relations, even as Minsk remains politically isolated from much of Europe and fundamental issues of repression and alignment with Moscow remain unresolved.