“The actions and policies of individual members of the government of Belarus and others continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States,” the document quotes the Belarusian portal tochka.by as saying
It’s about the extension of measures provided for in the 2006 decree of the 43rd U.S. President George W. Bush, Jr. The document provides for sanctions against persons, who, according to the U.S., “undermine democratic processes and institutions” in Belarus.
In 2021, President Joe Biden signed an additional decree specifying the criteria for imposing sanctions.
Belarus and the USA: the history of negotiations
Recently, contacts between Belarus and the United States have become more active: Trump has repeatedly called Lukashenka and invited him to the White House. However, the annual extension of the sanctions regimes is stipulated by the American legislation.
Since June 2025, Alexander Lukashenko has met with the US delegation four times. As a result of the negotiations, political prisoners were released and sanctions were lifted from the airline Belavia, and later from Belinvestbank, Development Bank and the Ministry of Finance of Belarus. Belaruskali was also removed from the lists.
In late April 2026, with the assistance of the Americans, Belarus released Polish journalist Andrzej Poczobut. Two other Polish citizens and two citizens of Moldova left together with him.
John Cole intends to come to Minsk soon for the next negotiations.
