The US Treasury Department partially lifted sanctions on Belarus Thursday, responding to the release of 250 political prisoners by the Belarusian regime.
US Partially Lifts Sanctions on Belarus
The US Treasury Department partially lifted sanctions on Belarus’s Ministry of Finance and the Belarusian Development Bank on Thursday. Belarusian potash companies were also fully removed from the sanctions list.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a license authorizing transactions involving the Belarusian Development Bank (Bank Razviccia) and two affiliated companies. The directive prohibiting transactions with the Belarusian Ministry of Finance was also lifted. The license allows for economic relations with these entities, but does not unfreeze assets already frozen by the US.
Potash Companies Removed from Sanctions List
The Treasury Department also removed a family of companies linked to Belarusian potash concerns – Belarusian Potash Company, Agrorozkwit, and Belaruskali – from the sanctions list. Sanctions on these companies were partially lifted based on a license issued in December, and have now been completely removed.
Prisoner Release Drives Sanctions Relief
The actions announced Thursday follow the release of 250 political prisoners by the Belarusian regime last week, following talks between Donald Trump’s envoy, John Coale, and Alexander Lukashenko. This agreement, according to Coale, aims to pave the way for the normalization of relations with Belarus.
