Belorusian state television announced on Saturday, November 22nd that Minsk has pardoned 31 Ukrainian citizens as part of an agreement between President Alexander Lukashenko and U.S. President Donald Trump.
“The purpose of the pardon requested by Ukraine was to create conditions for the settlement of the armed conflict in the neighbouring state,” the Belarusian president’s spokesperson said on state television. The Ukrainians, whose identities have not been disclosed, will be handed over to Kyiv “immediately,” the spokesperson added.
Lukashenko has previously released dozens of political prisoners, including prominent dissidents, journalists, and religious figures, as part of a deal with Washington. However, according to human rights groups, more than 1,000 political prisoners remain in Belarusian prisons.
