Trump dubs Łukašenka “powerful leader”

August 17, Pozirk. US President Donald Trump has praised Alaksandar Łukašenka for the second time in three days in a post on his social network Truth Social.
“Thank you to Belarus and its powerful leader,” he wrote, referring to the recent liberation of several jailed regime critics. “I hope the 1,300 [imprisoned dissidents] will soon be released, also!”
Two days ago, Trump described the Belarusian ruler as a “highly respected president” after a phone call ahead of his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
According to Trump, the purpose of the call was to thank Łukašenka for freeing 16 prisoners recently. “We are also discussing the release of 1,300 additional prisoners. Our conversation was a very good one,” the US president said.
Experts noted that previous Washington’s contacts with Minsk have always resulted in the release of regime critics.
Belarusian officials have indicated that Minsk has engaged with Washington since mid-2024. Since then, the Belarusian ruler has pardoned more than 300 imprisoned regime critics.
Opposition politician: Trump could claim major win by securing release of 1,300 dissidents
- Economy, PoliticsGeneva to remain seat for Biełaruśkalij-Lithuania fertilizer transit arbitrationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus’ new car sales up 2 percent in OctoberThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityBelarusian military command learning advanced troop deployment, underground warfare tacticsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyLithuania arrests two suspected of smuggling cigarettes from Belarus by airThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyBelarus’ border guards seize toy helicopter, drone at Polish borderThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyEnvoy invites Slovak business executives to visit Belarus in 2027The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsOpposition politician expects Latvian MPs to form For a Democratic Belarus groupThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecuritySecretary general touts OSCE as “platform for dialogue” during Minsk visitThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityEuropean Court of Human Rights to rule on pushback complaints against Poland, Latvia and LithuaniaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Society, SportCanada to bar Belarusian, Russian ice hockey players from junior tournamentThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityGerman troops in Lithuania scanning for new air defense radars in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarus’ gold and foreign exchange reserves down 2.6 percent in OctoberThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsPoland may extend validity period of its travel document for foreigners to two yearsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityBelarus must be on agenda of Ukraine peace talks, Cichanoŭskaja saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyCouncil of Europe experts point to flaws in Belarus’ system to combat human traffickingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Germany news, SocietyBelarus arrests local Bayer employees on tax evasion chargesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsLavrov rules out engagement with EU, Ryžankoŭ urges Brussels to end self-isolationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsVilnius rules out Belarus sanctions review without policy shift in MinskThe material is available only to POZIRK+


