Zelenskiy: Ukraine is ready to continue helping on release of Belarusian political prisoners
TL;DR
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy offers to help release Belarusian political prisoners amid diplomatic talks, with over 1,000 detainees reported in 2025. This support follows prisoner exchanges, but released individuals face ongoing repression and statelessness, complicating regional stability.
Zelenskiy: Ukraine is ready to continue helping on release of Belarusian political prisoners
Ukraine Offers Support for Release of Belarusian Political Prisoners Amid Ongoing Diplomatic Efforts
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has indicated that his government remains open to facilitating the release of Belarusian political prisoners, aligning with broader diplomatic efforts to ease regional tensions. This statement comes as the U.S. special envoy, Steve Witkoff, prepares to meet with Zelenskyy and European leaders in Berlin to discuss peace initiatives in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and related geopolitical issues.
Belarus has been under international scrutiny for its systemic use of political imprisonment, with over 1,000 detainees as of 2025, according to Freedom House. While diplomatic efforts in 2025 secured the release of approximately 360 political prisoners—143 of whom were freed in December alone—the regime continues to detain at least 509 individuals on politically motivated charges. Ukraine's offer to assist in this process follows its recent receipt of 114 prisoners from Belarus, part of a complex exchange of detainees under ongoing negotiations.
However, the UN has cautioned that such releases do not signify an end to repression in Belarus. Released prisoners often face forced displacement, restricted movement, and limited access to consular services, effectively rendering them stateless. Many also report ongoing harassment and barriers to reintegration, including curfews and surveillance by security services.
The U.S. peace plan for Ukraine, which envisions Kyiv's EU accession by January 2027, has intensified pressure on Zelenskyy to engage in compromise. While the Ukrainian government has submitted revised proposals to Washington, the White House has emphasized the need for a "transactional" approach to peace talks.
For investors, the interplay between regional diplomacy and economic stability remains critical. Belarus's role in enabling Russian military logistics and its domestic repression complicate prospects for long-term stability in Eastern Europe. Sustained international pressure, including coordinated sanctions and support for civil society, will likely shape the trajectory of political and economic reforms in the region.
As diplomatic efforts continue, the fate of political prisoners and the broader geopolitical landscape will remain key indicators of progress—or regression—in the region.
