Some Belarusian political prisoners reach Lithuania after release deal with US

VILNIUS - A group of political prisoners released by Belarus arrived in Lithuania on Thursday evening under a deal between Minsk and Washington.

The release follows a meeting between authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko and US envoy John Coale. Minsk has freed a total of 250 political prisoners after negotiations with the US, 15 of whom have entered Lithuania.

Lithuania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that no Lithuanian citizens are among the group. Local authorities assisted with border crossing procedures and secured transport to their accommodation, with medical staff on standby to provide assistance if required.

"We are truly and sincerely grateful to Lithuania for all this support, for the help with documentation, and for enabling people to come here. This is a major effort by your institutions, the Foreign Ministry, the Migration Department, and all our partners in Vilnius and Lithuania," said Dzianis Kuchynski, advisor to Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, ahead of the group's arrival.

In exchange for the release, the US has fully lifted sanctions on potash giant Belaruskali, as well as Belinvestbank, the Development Bank, and the Ministry of Finance.

"European sanctions are very important to them. Lifting US sanctions without the European ones is less effective. As long as European sanctions remain in place, we cannot say Lukashenko is the winner," Kuchynski said.

Washington had already partially lifted sanctions on Belaruskali last December after Minsk released 123 political prisoners.

Political observers suggested at the time that Washington might pressure the European Union and Lithuania to resume the transit of Belarusian fertilisers through the port of Klaipeda.

Shipments of Belaruskali products through Lithuania and Klaipeda were halted in February 2022, when Vilnius cited U.S. sanctions and national security concerns. The European Union subsequently imposed its own sanctions on Belarusian fertilisers, which were extended for another year in February.