The United States is contemplating an invitation for Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to meet with former President Donald Trump, potentially at the White House or Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. This initiative appears to be part of a broader effort to improve diplomatic relations with Belarus.
John Cole, the U.S. special envoy to Belarus, confirmed in an interview with the Financial Times that discussions regarding the invitation have been ongoing for several months, though he emphasized that no final decision has been made.
“We have a lot of work ahead to achieve our goal, but I believe we will get there,” Cole stated.
On Friday, Lukashenko claimed that Trump had invited him to Mar-a-Lago to discuss an “important deal.”
Last week, Cole visited Belarus, where 250 political prisoners were released in what has been described as the largest such release to date. In exchange, the U.S. agreed to lift certain sanctions on Belarus’s financial sector, including measures affecting the Ministry of Finance, the Belarusian Development Bank, and three potash companies.
Cole noted that approximately 500 political prisoners have been freed as a result of cooperation with the U.S., including opposition leaders Siarhei Tsikhanouski, Maria Kolesnikova, and Nobel laureate Ales Bialiatski. Additionally, six U.S. citizens and numerous foreign nationals were released.
“The easing of sanctions is contingent on sustained improvements in behavior and President Lukashenko’s commitment to immediately cease all politically motivated arrests,” Cole remarked.
When asked about any potential preconditions for a meeting between Trump and Lukashenko, Cole declined to provide specifics.
“Ultimately, it depends on the president,” he said.
Cole expressed hope that the remaining political prisoners could be released by the end of the year. According to the Belarusian human rights group Viasna, nearly 900 political prisoners remain incarcerated.
The Financial Times reports that Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus for over 30 years, has long sought to leverage the relationship between Russia and the West for personal gain. During Trump’s first administration, the U.S. aimed to warm relations with Belarus to strengthen the country’s independence from Moscow.
American officials have framed their recent outreach as largely a humanitarian gesture.
“This is 95% a humanitarian issue. I am not trying to drive a wedge between him and Putin. These are 30-year-old relations. I know who Lukashenko is. But we have a very good relationship. We trust each other. This is Trump, this is Trump-style foreign policy, where you get to know someone,” Cole said, having visited Belarus multiple times over the past year to meet with Lukashenko.
The U.S. is considering inviting Belarusian President Lukashenko to meet with Donald Trump as part of efforts to improve diplomatic ties. Recent political prisoner releases in Belarus have coincided with discussions on easing sanctions, although no final arrangements have been made.
Source: Financial Times