The U.S. special envoy for Belarus, John Coale, announced that Belarusian authorities have agreed to release 25 prisoners in exchange for the removal of U.S. sanctions against two Belarusian companies, Lakokraska and Bellesbumprom. Coale made the statement after meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has long sought to reduce Western sanctions against his country. Coale shared the news on X, stating that "25 prisoners are free today" and crediting former President Donald Trump’s push for direct diplomacy for the outcome. He also thanked Lukashenko and Lithuanian authorities, a neighboring European Union member, for their support. Coale described the prisoner release as part of an "interim deal" and a "show of good will," with more releases and the lifting of additional sanctions expected once all details are finalized. However, Belarusian authorities have not yet officially confirmed the release of the prisoners. This deal is part of a broader pattern of U.S.-mediated negotiations that have led to the release of hundreds of political prisoners in recent years, often in exchange for the removal of sanctions. Belarus has been under Western sanctions for over a decade due to its human rights record and its role in allowing Russia to use its territory to invade Ukraine in 2022. President Lukashenko, who has ruled the country for over 30 years, has faced ongoing international criticism for his authoritarian governance. Since Trump returned to the White House in 2024, Lukashenko has released several groups of political prisoners as part of U.S.-brokered agreements that also resulted in the lifting of some sanctions. Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who lives in exile, welcomed the release of the 25 prisoners but emphasized that many others remain in custody. She told The Associated Press that while this is an important step, it is only a beginning. She criticized Lukashenko for using political prisoners as "bargaining chips" and urged an end to the cycle of repression. According to the Viasna human rights center, Belarus still holds 887 political prisoners. Earlier this year, a U.S.-brokered deal led to the release of 250 political prisoners, while another agreement in April saw the release of prominent journalist Andrzej Poczobut in exchange for 10 people freed by Poland. Among the prisoners released on Wednesday were media managers Andrei Aliaksandrau and Liudmila Chekina, as well as journalists Dzmitry Navazhylau and Kiryl Pazniak.