SouthernWorldwide.com – President Donald Trump announced on Sunday the successful release of five prisoners, three from Poland and two from Moldova, who were being held in detention in Belarus and Russia. This breakthrough was achieved through diplomatic efforts spearheaded by the United States, marking a significant development in negotiations with both nations.
Among those released is Andrzej Poczobut, a Polish journalist and activist whose case has garnered considerable international attention and concern from European leaders. This development suggests a potential for limited cooperation between Washington and Minsk, even as broader tensions with Russia persist and significant disputes remain unresolved.
“We have just secured the release of three Polish and two Moldovan prisoners from Belarusian and Russian detention,” Trump stated on the social media platform Truth Social. He further elaborated, “Thanks to my Special Presidential Envoy, John Coale, we were able to push hard to make this release happen.”
Trump also highlighted the personal appeal made by President Karol Nawrocki of Poland. “My friend, President Karol Nawrocki of Poland, met with me last September and asked me to help secure Andrzej Poczobut from Belarusian prison,” he continued. “Today, Poczobut is free due to our efforts. The United States delivers for our Allies and Friends.”
The President extended his gratitude to Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko. “Thank you to President Aleksandr Lukashenko for his cooperation and friendship. So nice!” Trump added.
Andrzej Poczobut, who served as a correspondent for the Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza and is a prominent figure within Belarus’s Polish minority, was serving an eight-year sentence. His conviction was widely criticized as politically motivated.
He was initially arrested in 2021 following his reporting on pro-democracy protests in Belarus, an action that drew international condemnation. Poczobut was later recognized with the Sakharov Prize, the European Union’s highest honor for human rights.
The Polish Foreign Minister, Radek Sikorski, characterized Poczobut as a symbol of the struggle for freedom in Belarus and a testament to Poland’s dedication to ensuring the safe return of its citizens.
This prisoner exchange was part of a larger series of releases that involved U.S. mediation, indicating a recent easing of relations between Washington and Minsk during the Trump administration.
A spokesperson for Poland’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that the agreement was a multi-country arrangement. Three individuals were transferred from Belarus to Poland, in exchange for three individuals sent in the opposite direction, with other releases occurring through separate bilateral agreements.
The individuals freed included Grzegorz Gawel, a Roman Catholic friar from the Carmelite order in Krakow. Additionally, a Belarusian national who had collaborated with Polish intelligence services was also released, according to Polish officials who chose not to publicly identify this individual.
Earlier this year, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko authorized the release of 250 political prisoners as part of an agreement with Washington. This accord led to a partial relaxation of U.S. sanctions against Belarus.
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Belarus, a long-standing ally of Russia, has experienced significant international isolation from the West for many years. Lukashenko, who has been in power for over three decades, has faced numerous sanctions due to human rights abuses and for permitting Russian forces to utilize Belarusian territory during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
