The teams of US leader Donald Trump and Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko are holding talks on the possibility of Minsk releasing at least 100 political prisoners. This should happen in the near future.
Points of attention
- The US could potentially ease sanctions on Belarus' potash industry as part of the agreement.
- The negotiations between the two leaders raise speculation on the possible outcomes and implications for both countries.
What to expect from Trump and Lukashenko
As Reuters learned from its anonymous sources, the White House is determined to do everything possible to release more than 100 prisoners as part of a single agreement with the Belarusian dictator's regime.
So far, journalists have not been able to find out which political prisoners may be released and when exactly this may happen, but Donald Trump's team wants to do it as soon as possible.
What is important to understand is that the US presidential administration refused to comment, and the Belarusian embassy in Washington did not respond to a media request.
In addition, it is still difficult to say what exactly the White House plans to offer the Lukashenko regime in exchange for an agreement to release prisoners.
One measure that U.S. officials have been informally discussing this year is easing U.S. sanctions on Belarus' potash industry. Belarus is one of the world's major suppliers of fertilizer ingredients, media insiders say.
