Trump envoy John Cole holds talks with Lukashenko in Minsk

US special envoy John Cole held a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk on September 15, marking a rare diplomatic engagement between the United States and Belarus amid the latter's continued support for Russia's war against Ukraine. The talks were described as exploratory, with sources suggesting the discussions touched on the broader regional security situation and Belarus's role in the conflict. The United States has maintained limited diplomatic ties with Minsk since the 2020 post-election crackdown that led to Western sanctions. Lukashenko has allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory for military operations and has remained one of Moscow's closest allies throughout the conflict with Ukraine. The meeting drew attention as one of the first high-level direct contacts between a Trump administration official and the Lukashenko government, potentially signaling a shift in US diplomatic approach toward Belarus.