{"id":164546,"date":"2025-11-18T12:14:05","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T09:14:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/164546\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"us-lawmakers-call-for-conditionality-in-washingtons-contacts-with-minsk","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/164546\/","title":{"rendered":"US lawmakers call for conditionality in Washington\u2019s contacts with Minsk"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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November 18, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> The US Department of State should consider the possibility of immediately reinstating sanctions against Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka and his officials, should politically-motivated arrests continue in Belarus, says a letter from a bipartisan group of US lawmakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe urge caution to ensure that any progress on the release of political prisoners is not undermined by the government\u2019s continued pattern of arbitrary detention,\u201d Republican Senator John Curtis, Democratic Senator Peter Welch and Democratic Representatives Steve Cohen and Joe Wilson stressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minsk\u2019s concessions could be designed to distract from Belarus\u2019 sustained support for Moscow\u2019s war on Ukraine, which includes hybrid warfare tactics and facilitation of irregular migration into the European Union, they warned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese actions not only perpetuate repression at home but also directly undermine US interests and broader transatlantic security in the region,\u201d the group noted. \u201cWhile we recognize the Administration\u2019s significant achievements to date, these actions demonstrate the need for sustained vigilance and conditionality in any further engagement with the \u0141uka\u0161enka regime.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lawmakers\u2019 letter also urged the Department of State to prioritize the release of prominent opposition figures, including Maryja Kale\u015bnikava, Viktar and Eduard Babaryka, Maksim Znak, journalist Kaciaryna Andrejeva, rights defenders Marfa Rabkova, Ale\u015b Bialiacki, Valiancin Stefanovi\u010d, U\u0142adzimir \u0141abkovi\u010d and Nasta \u0141ojka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US President Donald Trump and \u0141uka\u0161enka have maintained a friendly dynamic, with the US leader often speaking highly of his Belarusian counterpart. But he has also continued to push for the release of more prisoners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this month, Trump\u00a0appointed John Coale, who helped negotiate the prisoner deals, as special envoy to Belarus, tasking him with securing more prisoner releases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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