Trump Credits His Team, Thanks Lukashenko
Trump took to Truth Social to announce the releases, pointing to special envoy John Coale as the driving force behind the deal. In his post, he also extended his thanks to Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, praising him for what he called "cooperation and friendship." Among those released was Andrzej Poczobut, a well-known Polish-Belarusian journalist and activist who had been held in a Belarusian prison. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk had already confirmed Poczobut's release on April 28, describing it as part of a broader prisoner swap arrangement.

A Pattern of Releases Under Trump's Second Term
This latest release is not an isolated event. Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has freed hundreds of detainees over the past two years. That pace has notably picked up since Trump returned to office for his second term. In what appears to be a quiet but ongoing diplomatic exchange, the United States has begun easing sanctions against Belarus in parallel with these prisoner releases. It's a delicate give-and-take that reflects shifting dynamics between Washington and Minsk, with Trump seemingly eager to chalk up foreign policy wins wherever he can find them.