Belarus has seen a significant development as the jailed opposition leader, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, has been freed and is now in Lithuania. He was released along with 13 other political prisoners following discussions between Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Keith Kellogg, a top US envoy for Ukraine. This move comes after Mr. Kellogg became the highest-ranking US official to visit Belarus in years, a country closely allied with Russia.

Mr. Tsikhanouski, a blogger and activist, was arrested after announcing his intention to run for the presidency against Mr. Lukashenko in the 2020 election. Subsequently, he was sentenced to 18 years in prison on charges of organizing mass unrest and inciting social hatred. Following his detention, his wife Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya ran in his place and has since become an opposition leader in exile in Lithuania.

The 14 individuals released on Saturday included citizens from Belarus, Poland, Latvia, Japan, Estonia, and Sweden. Among them was Ihar Karnei, a former journalist at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the release as a symbol of hope for all political prisoners under the Lukashenko regime.

During the meeting between President Lukashenko and Mr. Kellogg in Minsk, the two embraced, with Mr. Lukashenko expressing hope for a sincere and open conversation. This development raises questions about the potential lifting of US sanctions against Belarus, which were imposed over the crackdown on protests in 2020 and Belarus's support for Russia's actions in Ukraine.