US and Belarus are in talks to release 100 more political prisoners as Minsk balances its dependency on Moscow by improving its relations with Washington.

The Trump administration is in negotiations with Belarusian authorities over the possible release of at least 100 political prisoners, in what could mark the largest single amnesty of detainees by Minsk in years, Reuters reported on November 26, citing three sources familiar with the talks.

The move follows several smaller releases since Donald Trump assumed the US presidency, but Washington is now seeking a larger gesture as part of its broader strategy to draw Belarus away from Russia’s geopolitical influence.

Lukashenko released 14 political prisoners, including the husband of Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya (Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya), who has spent five years in prison after he was arrested in the run up to the disputed August 2020 presidential elections.

Another 52 political prisoners were released on September 11 and 33 Ukrainian prisoners were released in November. Human rights groups say at least 1,300 political prisoners remain in jail, including Tikhanovskaya’s running mate in the 2020 elections Maria Kolesnikova.

On November 20, Lukashenko pardoned two Catholic priests who had been convicted of serious crimes against the state after talks with the Vatican. While the details of their convictions were not disclosed, the move was interpreted as part of ongoing gestures aimed at improving ties with the West.

According to Reuters, the Belarusian diplomatic outreach is seen in Washington as part of “a broader strategy to gradually wean Minsk from Moscow's orbit.”

Key figures in the dialogue is John Cole, recently appointed by President Trump as special envoy for Belarus. The White House has not confirmed any timeline for a potential release. An administration spokesman said only that the United States “stands ready for further engagement with Belarus.”

Tensions in the region have heightened in recent months amid growing competition between Western powers and Russia for influence in former Soviet states. Belarus, long a close ally of Moscow, has shown signs of strategic recalibration in recent engagements.

In a phone call on August 15, Trump said he had discussed the release of 1,300 prisoners with Lukashenko and characterised the conversation as “very good.” Trump noted the call was intended to thank Lukashenko for the release of 16 detainees.

Despite the thaw in relations with Washington, Lukashenko continues to maintain strong ties with Moscow. On November 26, he held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Bishkek, TASS reported. The meeting followed Putin’s arrival in the Kyrgyz capital a day earlier for a state visit hosted by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov. The Russian and Kyrgyz leaders laid wreaths at the Eternal Flame in Victory Square before heading to the Ala-Archa residence for a private bilateral meeting.

Lukashenko is actively playing both sides of the fence, keeping his relations with Russia close, but looking for leverage by improving his standing with the White House.