U.S. Suspends Belarus Potash Sanctions as Minsk Frees 123 Political Prisoners

Overview

• Nobel laureate Ales Bialiatski and opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova were among those released after talks led by U.S. envoy John Coale.
• Nine of the freed traveled to Lithuania while 114 were taken to Ukraine, according to officials.
• U.S. relief targets potash produced by state giant Belaruskali, though terms and export routes have not been disclosed.
• Belarusian opposition and rights groups warn that easing pressure rewards repression, with Viasna counting more than 1,200 political prisoners still jailed.
• The European Union keeps its own restrictions in place as Washington signals further engagement could hinge on additional releases.