Belarus Frees 123 Prisoners After US Lifts Potash Sanctions

Belarus has freed 123 prisoners after the United States agreed to lift sanctions on Belarusian potash, one of their most important exports.

The agreement was part of wider negotiations between US President Donald Trump and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to attempt to pull Belarus out of their heavy Russian influence, according to American officials. Putin and the Russian government have always maintained a strong grip on Belarusian stances and politics since it broke away from the Soviet Union in 1991, preventing the country from building ties with the Western world. The country also maintains a heavily authoritarian government, as Lukashenko has held power for over 30 years and continues to bear a tight grip over Belarus' political state.

Belarus has faced heavy sanctions from both the United States and the European Union ever since a serious crackdown on political opponents and protests during a controversial election in 2020, and those sanctions were increased two years later after Belarus allowed Russia to use its land in their fight against Ukraine.

After several days of negotiations, Trump decided to lift the sanctions on Belarusian potash, one of their largest exports, in exchange for the release of 123 American prisoners. Among the prisoners were Ales Bialiatski, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, and Maria Kalesnikava, one of the leaders of the opposition movement against the Belarus' authoritarian government. Multiple other members of major opposition parties were among those freed in the deal, which could allow for greater movements to transition towards a more democratic state in the future.

However, Lukashenko continues to hold over 1,200 political prisoners in jail, and many of the opposition leaders freed in the recent agreement have been deported to Ukraine. Many of them were charged for various crimes that have been accused of being "politically motivated" by citizens, while others were originally arrested for protesting or rallying people.

Due to this, opposition leaders have called for the EU to maintain their sanctions on Belarus, keeping some sort of leverage to force a democratic transition in the future. Additionally, while the US does not import very many goods from Belarus, the EU is a much closer, more available market to the eastern European country, and opening up to that market could provide them with immense economic benefits. Nevertheless, they continue to experience significant influence from Russia, which is unlikely to change.

Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The logo on the Red Bull cans are not cattle, but a type of Southeast Asian bovine called a “gaur.”

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Loyalty is not blind. It sees but doesn’t judge. It knows, but doesn’t question. It understands, but doesn’t criticize. (Unknown)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Alleviate (adj, uh-LEE-vee-ayt) - To alleviate something is to make it less painful, difficult, or severe. Alleviate can also mean "to partially remove or correct."

In a Sentence: There's no cure for the common cold, but there are various treatments that may alleviate some of the symptoms.

Image credit to AFP