Washington: US President Donald Trump announced that three Polish and two Moldovan nationals have been released from detention in Belarus and Russia, thanks to efforts by his administration. Trump shared this news on his Truth Social platform, highlighting the role of his special envoy, John Coale, in securing the releases.

According to Anadolu Agency, Trump mentioned that Polish President Karol Nawrocki had requested assistance in securing the release of Polish-Belarusian journalist and activist Andrzej Poczobut during a meeting last September. Trump stated, “Today, Poczobut is free due to our efforts,” and extended his gratitude to Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko for his cooperation and friendship.

John Coale, the special envoy, stated on April 28 that he and his team facilitated the release of “three Poles and two Moldovans” through coordination with multiple countries. Coale expressed his thanks to Poland, Moldova, Romania, and Lukashenko for their cooperation in the matter.

Polish Prime Mini
ster Donald Tusk announced Poczobut’s release as part of a prisoner swap linked to broader US-backed negotiations between Belarus and the West. Poczobut, a journalist for Gazeta Wyborcza and a member of Belarus’ Polish minority, had been sentenced to eight years in prison after his 2021 arrest for covering pro-democracy protests. His case garnered international attention, and he was later honored with the European Union’s Sakharov Prize.

The Polish Foreign Ministry disclosed that the agreement involved a multi-country prisoner exchange, which included the release of Grzegorz Gawel, a Catholic friar from the Carmelite order in Krakow. This development is part of a series of releases by Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, as Washington has started easing some sanctions on Belarus. Despite remaining largely isolated from the West over allegations of human rights abuses and its support for Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Belarus has released hundreds of prisoners in recent years.