Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned 31 Ukrainian citizens convicted of criminal offences in Belarus, state news agency Belta reported on Saturday.
According to Lukashenko’s spokesperson Natalia Eismont, the decision was made under agreements reached between Lukashenko and U.S. President Donald Trump at Ukraine’s request. Kyiv’s prisoner exchange coordination committee later confirmed on Telegram that 31 civilians had returned from Belarus, noting they had been serving sentences ranging from two to 11 years.
“We express our gratitude to the United States of America and President Donald Trump for their fruitful work in returning Ukrainian civilians and military personnel from Belarus and Russia,” the committee said, adding that the freed Ukrainians would receive medical care and rehabilitation.
The release follows Lukashenko’s decision on Thursday to pardon two Roman Catholic priests convicted of “serious crimes against the state” after diplomatic contacts with the Vatican.
Since mid-2024, Lukashenko has freed several hundred prisoners in what analysts see as an effort to repair ties with Western governments after years of sanctions over his human rights record and support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. Earlier this month, President Trump appointed a special envoy to Belarus tasked with negotiating further prisoner releases.