John Coale, the U.S. special envoy for Belarus, stated that recent meetings with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko were 'very productive' and that normalizing relations between Washington and Minsk is a key objective of American diplomacy. Belarus, an ally of Russia, has been sanctioned for human rights violations and for its support of Moscow in the invasion of Ukraine.
Coale mentioned that, following the discussions, the U.S. lifted some sanctions, and Belarus released over 430 political prisoners in an attempt to get closer to the West. The discussions also included topics such as the situation in Venezuela and the invasion of Ukraine, with Lukashenko offering 'helpful advice' on managing the conflict, having a close relationship with Vladimir Putin.