{"id":151557,"date":"2025-08-17T18:12:05","date_gmt":"2025-08-17T15:12:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/151557\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"trump-calls-lukasenka-powerful-leader","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/151557\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump dubs \u0141uka\u0161enka \u201cpowerful leader\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Wikimedia Commons)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

August 17, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>US President Donald Trump has praised Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka for the second time in three days in a post on his social network Truth Social.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Thank you to Belarus and its powerful leader,\u201d he wrote, referring to the recent liberation of several jailed regime critics. \u201cI hope the 1,300 [imprisoned dissidents] will soon be released, also!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two days ago, Trump described the Belarusian ruler as a \u201chighly respected president\u201d after a phone call ahead of his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Trump, the purpose of the call was to thank \u0141uka\u0161enka for freeing 16 prisoners recently. \u201cWe are also discussing the release of 1,300 additional prisoners. Our conversation was a very good one,\u201d the US president said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experts noted that previous Washington\u2019s contacts with Minsk have always resulted in the release of regime critics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarusian officials have indicated that Minsk has engaged with Washington since mid-2024. Since then, the Belarusian ruler has pardoned more than 300 imprisoned regime critics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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