{"id":163808,"date":"2025-11-12T12:16:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-12T09:16:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/163808\/"},"modified":"2026-04-15T13:35:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T13:35:32","slug":"minsk-may-ask-washington-to-lift-sanctions-on-bielaruskalij-banks-in-exchange-for-50-prisoners","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/163808\/","title":{"rendered":"Minsk may ask Washington to lift sanctions on Bie\u0142aru\u015bkalij, banks in exchange for 50 prisoners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka plans to discuss five or six key issues during forthcoming talks with American officials, Natalla Ejsmant, the Belarusian leader\u2019s spokeswoman, said on November 11. The US delegation is expected to be led by John Coale, an experienced negotiator appointed as special envoy for Belarus three days ago.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"block-image block-image-normal\">\n\n    <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1127\" height=\"752\" src=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/belaruskali-by.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/belaruskali-by.jpg 1127w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/belaruskali-by-354x236.jpg 354w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/belaruskali-by-734x490.jpg 734w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/belaruskali-by-178x118.jpg 178w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/belaruskali-by-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1127px) 100vw, 1127px\" \/>\n    <figcaption>\n        \n                    <div class=\"block-image__author\">\n                                <span>(belaruskali.by)<\/span>\n            <\/div>\n            <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Washington seeks release of 50 more prisoners<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>US President Donald Trump announced that Coale is involved in negotiations for the release of 50 more Belarusian regime critics, whom Trump described as \u201chostages\u201d in a social media post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Earlier, Coale had secured the release of two groups of prisoners\u201414 in June and 51 in September. All were taken to Lithuania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Washington\u2019s ultimate goal remains the release of all documented political prisoners, estimated at around 1,500.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u0141uka\u0161enka has already discussed what he calls a \u201cgrand bargain\u201d with his security chiefs, admitting that some of his loyalists oppose the idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Matters under discussion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Belarusian opposition has urged the Americans to raise several issues, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the whereabouts and possible release of opposition politician Mika\u0142aj Statkievi\u010d, who refused to go to Lithuania after being pardoned in September<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the right of pardoned individuals to remain in Belarus<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>and an end to politically motivated arrests<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Trump\u2019s negotiators are unlikely to press for a roundtable between the government and the opposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a result of previous deals, Washington lifted its sanctions on the Belarusian national airline Bie\u0142avija.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This time, the Belarusian delegation is expected to insist on lifting sanctions against major banks and the state-owned potash producer Bie\u0142aru\u015bkalij.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The delegations may also discuss the return of the US ambassador to Minsk. Coale might additionally explore Belarus\u2019 potential role in US\u2013Russia negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, as \u0141uka\u0161enka is eager to present himself as a peace broker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other thorny issues<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u0141uka\u0161enka may also ask Washington to pressure the European Union into lifting its sanctions.<br>Bie\u0142avija remains banned from European airports, and Minsk is eager to restore trade ties with Europe. Belarus previously profited significantly from exports of fuel and timber to the EU market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another key issue is access to the Lithuanian Port of Klaipeda and the Latvian Port of Ventspils, which Belarus needs to ship potash fertilizers to international customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Currently, Minsk is at odds with Lithuania over cross-border incursions by weather balloons used to smuggle cigarettes from Belarus. These incursions have disrupted operations at Vilnius Airport and prompted Lithuania to close its border with Belarus for a month. On November 10, \u0141uka\u0161enka made it clear that he would raise the issue with Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US negotiators are expected to respond that Belarus must crack down on smugglers if it wants to see the matter resolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On November 11, \u0141uka\u0161enka tasked Foreign Minister Maksim Ry\u017eanko\u016d with opening talks with Vilnius on reopening the border checkpoints. However, Lithuanian Foreign Minister K\u0119stutis Budrys suggested that Lithuania should not engage with Minsk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c\u0141uka\u0161enka does not set the rules\u2026 My insistent recommendation to my government will be to not follow the route which they are trying to force on us,\u201d Budrys said, according to <em>Reuters<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite this stance, Vilnius is not in a strong position to dictate terms. The border closure has left around 1,100 Lithuanian trucks stranded in Belarus. Lithuanian transport companies have threatened to block domestic roads if the government fails to act. Vilnius is also facing pressure from Poland, which plans to open two additional checkpoints on the Belarusian border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, Trump may show interest in Belarusian potash fertilizers. The United States imports most of its crop nutrients from Canada, but relations between the two countries have deteriorated under Trump. This could lead Washington to pressure Vilnius to allow the transit of Belarusian fertilizers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"insert-block\">\n\n    <div class=\"insert-block__img\">\n        <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"354\" height=\"236\" src=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/zaponki_belta-354x236.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/zaponki_belta-354x236.jpg 354w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/zaponki_belta-734x490.jpg 734w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/zaponki_belta-178x118.jpg 178w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/zaponki_belta-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pozirk.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/zaponki_belta.jpg 1128w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 354px) 100vw, 354px\" \/>                        <label class=\"insert-block__tag--mobile\"> \u0410\u043d\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0430<\/label>\n\n                <\/div>\n    <div class=\"insert-block__text\">\n                    <label class=\"insert-block__tag\">\u0410\u043d\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0430<\/label>\n                <h3 class=\"insert-block__title\">Coale likely to be more persistent in grand bargain talks as envoy for Belarus<\/h3>\n        <div class=\"insert-block__descr\">US engagement with Minsk could lead to the release of political prisoners and ease tensions between Belarus and its neighbors. However, any potential deal could still fall through because of \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s intransigence. Washington names special envoy for Belarus United States &#8230;<\/div>\n        <a class=\"insert-block__btn-block\" href=\"\/en\/longreads\/163674\">\n            <button class=\"btn\">\n                <div class='btn__text'>Read the article<\/div>\n            <\/button>\n        <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka plans to discuss five or six key issues during forthcoming talks with American officials, Natalla Ejsmant, the Belarusian leader\u2019s spokeswoman, said on November 11. The US delegation is expected to be led by John Coale, an experienced negotiator appointed as special envoy for Belarus three days ago. Washington seeks release of 50 more [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":87,"featured_media":138262,"template":"","rubric":[22],"class_list":["post-163808","longreads","type-longreads","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","rubric-theviewer"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Minsk may ask Washington to lift sanctions on Bie\u0142aru\u015bkalij, banks in exchange for 50 prisoners | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka plans to discuss five or six key issues during forthcoming talks with American officials, Natalla Ejsmant, the Belarusian leader\u2019s\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/163808\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" 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