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US Lifts Sanctions on Two Belarusian Companies in Exchange for 25 Prisoners
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The United States will lift sanctions on two major Belarusian state-owned enterprises in exchange for the release of 25 individuals by Minsk, Belarusian state news outlets and US Special Envoy to Belarus John Coale reported on September 16.
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The agreement comes amid internal repression in Belarus, where nearly 1,000 political prisoners remain behind bars. According to a recent UN report, Belarusian authorities have convicted over 400 people for supporting Ukraine since 2022.
Speaking to journalists in the Belarusian capital, Coale stated that the sanctions relief will apply to the paint and varnish manufacturer OJSC Lakokraska and the state timber, woodworking, and paper conglomerate Bellesbumprom.
25 prisoners are free today! President Trump’s commitment to direct diplomacy delivers results. Thank you, President Lukashenka, for this step, and thank you to our friends in Lithuania for their support. We will continue to improve US-Belarus relations and are working to secure… pic.twitter.com/fngMiKCND9
— john coale (@johnpcoale) September 16, 2026
“As a gesture of goodwill, Belarus will release 25 people. The United States, in turn, will lift sanctions on two Belarusian companies—Lakokraska and Bellesbumprom,” the US special envoy said.
Belarusian state media wrote that the two nations have agreed upon an interim treaty, with Coale highlighting that “great progress” was achieved during the latest round of talks in Minsk.
The special envoy also noted that US and Belarusian officials will continue working together to resolve remaining bilateral issues, according to Belarusian state media.
Despite diplomatic progress and sanctions relief from Washington, Minsk continues to support Moscow’s war effort against Ukraine. According to a recent report from Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service, Russian forces rely on signal relays and communications towers located inside Belarus to guide air strikes against western Ukrainian regions, including Rivne, Volyn, and Lviv.
Ukrainian military officials noted that Russian attack drones routinely leverage Belarusian infrastructure to bypass electronic warfare suppression and skirt Ukrainian air defense zones, maintaining a persistent security threat along Ukraine’s northern border.
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