NextFin news, On Thursday, September 11, 2025, in Minsk, Belarus, John Cole, the special representative of former U.S. President Donald Trump, met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. During the meeting, Cole presented Lukashenko with a pair of gold cufflinks featuring a relief image of the White House, symbolizing a gesture of friendship from the United States. The cufflinks were described by Lukashenko as "very interesting."
In addition to the cufflinks, Trump sent a personal letter congratulating Lukashenko on his recent birthday. The letter was signed by Trump himself and was delivered by Cole as a special sign of friendship between the two countries, according to local media reports.
The meeting also involved diplomatic discussions, including the announcement by John Cole of the lifting of sanctions on the Belarusian airline Belavia. This decision was reportedly made personally by Donald Trump and approved by relevant U.S. authorities.
Furthermore, the Belarusian government pardoned 14 foreign nationals from countries including Poland, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, Latvia, Germany, and France during this period.
John Cole characterized Belarus-U.S. relations as "good but not great," emphasizing the need for further steps to fully normalize ties. Planned measures include the reopening of the U.S. embassy in Minsk and the development of economic cooperation between the two nations.
The meeting took place against the backdrop of ongoing regional diplomatic activities and was part of a five-hour negotiation session held in Minsk on Thursday.
Sources: Telegraf (Ukraine), EADaily
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