The EU is considering whether to end the diplomatic isolation of Belarus in an effort to drive a wedge between it and its close ally, Russia, The Guardian reported on Tuesday, citing European diplomatic sources.

According to the newspaper, there are “tentative discussions in Brussels”about offering Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko “a way out of Moscow’s shadow.” The Guardian also cited a source who said US presidential envoy Keith Kellogg views Lukashenko as a potential intermediary in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The EU first imposed sanctions on Belarus in 2000, citing alleged election fraud and human rights violations, and significantly increased the pressure after the 2020 protests in Minsk sparked by claims of vote-rigging.

Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus since 1994, has accused Western governments of seeking to topple him, blaming NATO for tensions with Russia and the Ukraine conflict. In 2024, Minsk activated a defense pact with Moscow and hosted the deployment of Russian nuclear missiles.

In July, Lukashenko said he was open to talks with the West on “any topic,” arguing that the strategy of “democratizing through sanctions” had failed.

Last month, Belarus released 52 high-profile prisoners, including opposition politicians, as part of a deal with the US. In exchange, Washington lifted sanctions on the nation’s Belavia airlines.

https://www.rt.com/russia/625673-eu-belarus-policy-shift/

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