Overview
- Authorities released 250 people on March 19, with 15 transferred to Lithuania and 235 freed inside Belarus, according to the U.S. Embassy in Vilnius.
- U.S. envoy John Cole said sanctions will be removed from Belinvestbank, the Development Bank of Belarus and the Belarusian Ministry of Finance.
- Lukashenko stated the proposal for a larger deal came from President Donald Trump and said preparations are underway, a claim not yet commented on by Washington.
- Discussions included restoring full embassy operations and a possible Lukashenko visit to the United States, as Cole voiced hope that all political prisoners could be freed this year.
- Visa restricted card use in the European Economic Area for several Belarusian banks, and rights group Viasna reports that hundreds remain jailed on political charges.