Belarus freed 52 prisoners of various nationalities including an EU employee on Thursday after an appeal from U.S. President Donald Trump, and they headed to Lithuania with the U.S. delegation that negotiated their release, the U.S. embassy in Vilnius said, APA reports citing Reuters.
Trump had urged Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, to release detainees whom the U.S. leader has described as "hostages". Belarus later confirmed their release.
In return for Lukashenko's gesture, Washington will grant sanctions relief to Belarus' national airline Belavia, allowing it to service and buy components for its aircraft, which includes Boeings, the U.S. embassy said.
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