Perspective – Written by Ruslan Bortnik
At the end of June 2025, U.S. Special Representative Keith Kellogg made a surprise visit to Belarus, marking the highest-level American contact with Minsk since 2020. The meeting with Alexander Lukashenko signaled a cautious thaw in U.S.–Belarus relations amid the ongoing war in Ukraine and a diplomatic deadlock with Russia. While officially framed as a dialogue on international and bilateral issues, the visit resulted in the release of 14 political prisoners, including foreign nationals, suggesting practical concessions and emerging backchannel diplomacy. Kellogg’s mission may reflect a broader U.S. strategy to reduce Belarus’s dependence on Moscow, explore new negotiation tracks on Ukraine, and test Lukashenko’s potential as a mediator. The visit also highlights Hungary’s growing role as a diplomatic conduit as Budapest strengthens ties with Minsk despite EU sanctions. Overall, the engagement signals a possible recalibration of Western approaches to Belarus, balancing sanctions with selective engagement to limit Russian leverage in the region.
The full analysis is available here.