{"id":143570,"date":"2025-06-21T19:07:59","date_gmt":"2025-06-21T16:07:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/143570\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"us-diplomat-on-minsk-visit-president-trump-encouraged-this-trip","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/143570\/","title":{"rendered":"US diplomat on Minsk visit: President Trump encouraged this trip"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n\n John Coale\n <\/div>\n \n
\n (Coale's \u0425 page \/ Screenshot by Pozirk)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

June 21, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> John Coale, deputy of US envoy Keith Kellogg, who accompanied him on a visit to Minsk today, has shared details of the release of 14 Belarusian prisoners, including former presidential hopeful Siarhiej Cichano\u016dski.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Noting the support of US President Donald Trump, Deputy Secretary\u00a0of State Christopher Landau and other officials in Trump\u2019s administration, the diplomat stressed that Washington is now strong to \u201cget this kind of thing done\u201d in a video posted on X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe moment that I remember is when the van pulled up with the 14 [prisoners] to a back road we were taking them on. I opened the door and they all had their heads down. . . \u00a0They did not know what was going on,\u201d Coale described the events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey had no idea where they were going. . . They were brought to me as real prisoners, with their hands behind their backs and the whole thing. When they heard they were free, they were ecstatic,\u201d he added. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarusian opposition leader \u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja has expressed gratitude for the \u201ctireless US efforts\u201d that helped secure the release of her husband and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday in Vilnius, we welcomed 14 heroes \u2013 freed after years of torture in KGB prisons. . . They\u2019re no longer behind bars, though forced into exile. Now we must help them heal \u2013 and keep fighting for those still imprisoned,\u201d she said<\/a> on X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cichano\u016dski and 13 others have been released from prison on the same day as Kellogg, Trump\u2019s special envoy for Ukraine, held talks with Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka in Minsk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The group includes\u00a0former\u00a0Radio Free Europe\/Radio Liberty<\/em>\u00a0journalist Ihar Karniej, prominent linguist Natalla Dulina, anarchist activist Akichira Haje\u016dski-Chanada, dual Belarusian-Swedish citizen Halina Kra\u015bnianskaja, businessman Siarhiej \u0160elieh and opposition activist Kiry\u0142 Ba\u0142achona\u016d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three Polish nationals are also reportedly among those pardoned today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Siarhiej Cichano\u016dski, several other prisoners released<\/h3>\n
June 21, Pozirk. Siarhiej Cichano\u016dski, husband of Belarusian opposition leader \u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja, has been released from prison shortly after Keith Kellogg, US President Donald Trump\u2019s special envoy for Ukraine, met Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka in Minsk. Cichano\u016dskaja\u2019s press office has already posted …<\/div>\n \n