President Donald Trump announced Sunday through his Truth Social platform that five individuals from Poland and Moldova have been freed from detention facilities in Belarus and Russia.
The announcement detailed the release of three Polish nationals and two Moldovan citizens. Trump gave recognition to special envoy John Coale for facilitating the prisoner releases and expressed gratitude to Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko for his “cooperation and friendship.”
Among those freed was Andrzej Poczobut, a journalist and activist holding both Polish and Belarusian citizenship, who had been imprisoned in Belarus. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk had previously confirmed Poczobut’s release on April 28, explaining it occurred through a prisoner exchange agreement.
Lukashenko, who maintains close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has freed hundreds of detainees over the past two years. This prisoner release pattern has gained momentum since Trump began his second presidential term. In exchange for these releases, the United States has started lifting economic sanctions imposed on Belarus.
