According to claims made by the United States, Belarus and Russia facilitated the release of several detained individuals. On Sunday, Trump announced that they had secured the freedom of three Polish and two Moldovan prisoners held in Belarusian and Russian detention centers. He attributed these releases to the efforts of his special envoy, John Coale.
Trump further detailed that Polish President Karol Nawrocki had requested his assistance last fall to secure the release of journalist and activist Andrzej Poczobut from a Belarusian prison. Poczobut belongs to the Polish-speaking minority in Belarus and had been incarcerated for years, a situation that human rights organizations had classified as political imprisonment. Trump stated that Poczobut was now free, attributing the release to American efforts, and affirmed that the United States stands by its friends and allies.
During his statement, Trump concluded by thanking President Alexander Lukashenko for his cooperation and friendship. Polish President Nawrocki also referred to Trump as “my friend” during the ceremony.
