Released human rights defender Valiantsin Stefanovich (L) faces reporters after arriving in Vilnius after a prisoner release from Belarus on March 19, 2026. Belarus freed 250 political prisoners on March 19, 2026 following negotiations with the United States, while Washington agreed to remove sanctions on several Belarusian companies in return, a US official said. The prisoner release, the largest in years, came hours after US envoy John Coale met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk. (Photo by Petras Malukas / AFP via Getty Images)

Released political prisoners arrive in Vilnius after a prisoner release from Belarus on March 19, 2026. Belarus freed 250 political prisoners on March 19, 2026 following negotiations with the United States, while Washington agreed to remove sanctions on several Belarusian companies in return, a US official said. The prisoner release, the largest in years, came hours after US envoy John Coale met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk. (Photo by Petras Malukas / AFP via Getty Images)

Belarusan journalist Katsiaryna Andreyeva addresses the media in Vilnius after a prisoner release from Belarus on March 19, 2026. Belarus freed 250 political prisoners on March 19, 2026 following negotiations with the United States, while Washington agreed to remove sanctions on several Belarusian companies in return, a US official said. The prisoner release, the largest in years, came hours after US envoy John Coale met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk. (Photo by Petras Malukas / AFP via Getty Images)

Belarusan journalist Katsiaryna Andreyeva addresses the media in Vilnius after a prisoner release from Belarus on March 19, 2026. Belarus freed 250 political prisoners on March 19, 2026 following negotiations with the United States, while Washington agreed to remove sanctions on several Belarusian companies in return, a US official said. The prisoner release, the largest in years, came hours after US envoy John Coale met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk. (Photo by Petras Malukas / AFP via Getty Images)

Released political prisoners arrive in Vilnius after a prisoner release from Belarus on March 19, 2026. Belarus freed 250 political prisoners on March 19, 2026 following negotiations with the United States, while Washington agreed to remove sanctions on several Belarusian companies in return, a US official said. The prisoner release, the largest in years, came hours after US envoy John Coale met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk. (Photo by Petras Malukas / AFP via Getty Images)

Belarusan journalist Katsiaryna Andreyeva addresses the media in Vilnius after a prisoner release from Belarus on March 19, 2026. Belarus freed 250 political prisoners on March 19, 2026 following negotiations with the United States, while Washington agreed to remove sanctions on several Belarusian companies in return, a US official said. The prisoner release, the largest in years, came hours after US envoy John Coale met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk. (Photo by Petras Malukas / AFP via Getty Images)

Released human rights defender Valiantsin Stefanovich gestures after arriving in Vilnius after a prisoner release from Belarus on March 19, 2026. Belarus freed 250 political prisoners on March 19, 2026 following negotiations with the United States, while Washington agreed to remove sanctions on several Belarusian companies in return, a US official said. The prisoner release, the largest in years, came hours after US envoy John Coale met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk. (Photo by Petras Malukas / AFP via Getty Images)

Released human rights defender Valiantsin Stefanovich (C) reacts after arriving in Vilnius after a prisoner release from Belarus on March 19, 2026. Belarus freed 250 political prisoners on March 19, 2026 following negotiations with the United States, while Washington agreed to remove sanctions on several Belarusian companies in return, a US official said. The prisoner release, the largest in years, came hours after US envoy John Coale met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk. (Photo by Petras Malukas / AFP via Getty Images)