December 31, Pozirk. The United States remains committed to supporting democratic principles and human rights in Belarus, the US Embassy in Lithuania told Pozirk.
The US was encouraged to learn about the release of more than 200 political prisoners in recent months, but will continue to urge the authorities to release more than 1,250 prisoners who unfairly remain behind bars, it said. “In 2025, we look forward to continuing our support for the democratic aspirations of the Belarusian people.”
The embassy added that “throughout 2024, the United States has continued to stand firmly with the people of Belarus, focusing on ensuring that their voices are heard as they seek to exercise their fundamental rights and freedoms.”
In December of this year, during the second round of the strategic dialogue between the United States and the Belarusian pro-democracy movement, the US “was proud to reiterate its strong support for the Belarusian people as they pursue a sovereign, independent, democratic future.”
Last week, Alaksandar Łukašenka told the Rossiya 1 television channel that the United States has been asking the Belarusian government for a permission to expand its diplomatic corps for “a whole year now.”
According to Łukašenka, the US would like to station hundreds of people in Belarus.
Asked about a US recommendation for Americans to leave the country, he said: “We have practically no Americans . . . But we are not holding anyone in Belarus. Let them stay if they want to and let them go if they don’t. But there are 0.2 Americans.”
In early 2022, the US advised its citizens to leave Belarus due to escalating political and military tensions, particularly along the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. The State Department ordered the departure of American government employees’ families and, following the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, suspended US Embassy activities in Minsk. Many democratic countries have downgraded their diplomatic presence in Belarus since the 2020 unrest.
