"Great thanks to (US President Donald) Trump and his envoy (Keith) Kellogg for having negotiated the release of several political prisoners in Belarus”, writes Kristersson on X on Saturday. He then mentions Tichanovskij and the Swedish citizen Halina Krasnjanskaja.
”The release shows the US commitment to our region. The pressure on Belarus must continue until all political prisoners are free”, continues Kristersson.
There are, according to opposition groups, over 1,000 political prisoners in Belarus' prisons.
”Brutal regime”
In a sharp statement from Brussels, von der Leyen also writes that Belarus must release the remaining political prisoners held by the regime.
”It is fantastic news and a powerful symbol of hope for all the political prisoners who suffer under the brutal Lukashenko regime.” writes von der Leyen and continues:
”Europe must continue to demand their immediate release”.
Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who is one of the sharpest critics of the government in Minsk, demands further action against the Lukashenko regime, while welcoming Tichanovskij's release.
”The free world needs you” writes Sikorski on X.
Moscow points to Trump
Berlin reacts with similar tones. Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul writes on X that ”we must not forget the many other prisoners – Lukashenko must release them”.
Moscow, which has significant interests and exercises power over Minsk, comments on the release by saying that Trump and envoy Kellogg's closest man, John Coale, had requested the release, writes the state-controlled news agency Tass.
Tass also quotes the spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry in Belarus, Ruslan Varankov, who says that the country is ”open to dialogue on cooperation in all areas".
