{"id":152284,"date":"2025-08-23T13:53:18","date_gmt":"2025-08-23T10:53:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/152284\/"},"modified":"2026-04-15T13:35:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T13:35:32","slug":"lukasenka-ready-to-deport-political-prisoners-after-trumps-phone-call","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/152284\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0141uka\u0161enka ready to deport political prisoners after Trump\u2019s phone call"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka praised Donald Trump at a news conference on August 22, following the US president\u2019s talks with his Russian counterpart, but again ruled out dialogue with his domestic opponents.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Praise for Putin and Trump, criticism of Zelensky<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian leader said that Trump had \u201cfantastically played his role as a mediator\u201d during his meeting with Putin in Alaska a week earlier. The remark came just a month after \u0141uka\u0161enka had expressed frustration with the US president over his ostentatious style and inconsistency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTrump is not the way we see him,\u201d \u0141uka\u0161enka said at the news conference on August 22. \u201cHe is an understanding person.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He used the occasion to lash out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky: \u201cBefore talking carelessly, Zelensky should think a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka voiced full support for Putin\u2019s aggressive policy toward Ukraine. He warned that Ukrainians might use a possible ceasefire to strengthen their armed forces. \u201cYes, we will insist with the Russians to make sure it will not happen, so that they will not be an aggressive country, so that they will not be a staging ground for an attack on us in the future,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in 2022, \u0141uka\u0161enka provided Russia with Belarusian territory and infrastructure to launch an offensive on Kyiv.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka backs ceasefire<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian strongman now seems genuinely interested in ending the war quickly. \u201cThis is a war right over our country\u2019s fence,\u201d he once remarked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike the Kremlin, which continues to speak of a \u201ccomprehensive peace agreement,\u201d \u0141uka\u0161enka backs an immediate ceasefire, a position closer to that of Kyiv and its European allies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said that a ceasefire should come first, followed by negotiations. He reiterated his willingness to host peace talks, stressing that such a role would be important for Belarus\u2019 international image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Political prisoners<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka admitted that he had discussed political prisoners in a phone call with Trump a week ago. He indicated that deportation remains his main condition for their release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you want one and a half or two thousand [people], as they count there? Take them to your country,\u201d state media quoted him as saying. \u201c[Westerners cannot] expect that we will release thugs who burned and blew things up. . . We will release them, and they will wage war against us again? Society won\u2019t support me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, the opposition insists that political prisoners must be given the right to decide whether to remain in Belarus or emigrate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka also suggested that the next move is up to Washington. \u201cGuys, we have taken many different steps to meet you halfway. Now we are waiting for specific steps from you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian ruler is seeking the easing of US sanctions. He acknowledged that the price of potash fertilizers has risen due to higher logistical costs, and Minsk is reportedly negotiating with Washington about lifting sanctions on the national airline Bie\u0142avia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It remains unclear whether Trump and his team have a coherent strategy to secure the release of Belarusian political prisoners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opponents fear that even if \u0141uka\u0161enka frees the current detainees, he may simply take new ones. The key question is whether Washington can find the arguments and incentives to push Minsk toward easing repression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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