TALLINN — Belarus released 250 prisoners as part of a deal to lift some U.S. sanctions. U.S. Special Envoy John Coale announced sanctions relief for Belinvestbank, the Development Bank of Belarus, and the removal of all remaining sanctions on Belaruskali, Belarusian Potash Company, and Agrorozkvit after meeting with Belarusian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko in Minsk on March 19, 2026.

Fifteen of the released prisoners were sent to Lithuania and the remainder were released domestically. Among those released were Kim Samusenko and Ekaterina Andreeva, a journalist for Belsat who is now in Lithuania.

"Kim Samusenko is free!!! Many thanks to everyone who supported our family! Many thanks to all democratic political and public forces who made the release possible!" said Alesya Zhitkova, a supporter.

"A humanitarian milestone and a testament to the President's [Donald Trump] commitment to direct, hard-nosed diplomacy," said Coale.

This prisoner release follows a similar exchange in December 2025, when Belarus freed 123 prisoners, including 2020 protest leader Maryya Kalesnikava and Nobel laureate Ales Byalyatski. According to the Vyasna human rights group, hundreds of people remain in custody in Belarus.

Andreeva was held for more than five years for live streaming a police crackdown on a peaceful rally for Roman Bandarenka. Belarus has been subject to Western sanctions imposed following its cooperation with Russia in its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and following a crackdown on civil society after the 2020 election.