Europe News Belarus releases 250 political prisoners after negotiations with US There are more than 1,100 political prisoners in Belarusian jails, many arrested after a disputed 2020 election that triggered widespread protests. 19/03/2026
Belarus Ukraine sanctions Belarus’ Lukashenka, to face ‘special consequences' In 2022, Moscow used Belarus as a launchpad for its attack and has been trying to drag Minsk further into its war since. 18/02/2026
Belarus Belarus joins Trump's 'Board of Peace,' raising eyebrows over its role Belarus joined Donald Trump's conflict resolution initiative despite concerns over its president's continued crackdown on dissent and support for Russia in its war against Ukraine. 28/01/2026
Belarus Russia shows nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system in Belarus Russia's Defence Ministry released the first images of an intermediate-range weapon entering service. Analysts identified a former airfield near the Russian border as a likely site. 30/12/2025
Belarus Belarus threatens to seize Lithuanian trucks after border closure Lithuania closed the two border crossings with Belarus on 29 October after meteorological balloons flying from Belarus caused repeated disruption to air traffic. 10/11/2025
Belarus Belarus pitches new NPP to supply energy to Russian-occupied Ukraine Belarus opened its first nuclear power plant in Astravets in 2020 amid protests and concern in neighbouring Lithuania, where there was opposition to the plant's location. 26/09/2025
Belarus Belarus frees 52 prisoners after Trump’s intervention, Nausėda says Belarus released 52 prisoners, including 14 foreigners, who crossed into Lithuania. Lithuanian President Nausėda thanked Trump for his support. 11/09/2025
Belarus Should NATO’s east expect more drone attacks ahead of Zapad-2025? On Friday, Russia and Belarus are set to begin their joint military exercises. Poland announced earlier this week that it will shut down its border with Belarus during the Zapad-2025 drills, calling them “very aggressive”. Then, Russian drones entered Polish airspace on Wednesday. 11/09/2025
Belarus Russian allies Belarus and Iran agree to boost bilateral defence ties Lukashenka, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory as a staging ground for Moscow’ full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and later allowed the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear missiles. 21/08/2025
Belarus Belarus journalist sentenced to 10 years for treason in closes trial Danil Palianski, detained since September 2024, is one of 37 journalists currently imprisoned in Belarus. 08/08/2025
Belarus Belarus targets dozens of government critics with raids, activists say Mass arrests and convictions of government critics have continued since Alexander Lukashenko was handed a sixth term as president in an election that the opposition and the West denounced as rigged. 06/08/2025
Europe News Putin threatens Europe with Oreshnik missile deployment to Belarus Russia first used the Oreshnik against Ukraine in November, when it fired the experimental weapon at a factory in Dnipro that built missiles when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. 01/08/2025
Europe News Belarus continues crackdown on political dissent, rights group says Mass arrests and convictions of government critics in Belarus have continued since 2020, when Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko was handed a sixth term in office in an election that the opposition and the West denounced as rigged. 01/07/2025
Belarus Exclusive: Belarus releases political prisoners in surprise decision The Belarus president pardoned several prisoners on Saturday during the visit of US special envoy Keith Kellogg in a move to ease tensions with the West. 21/06/2025
Belarus Tsikhanouskaya: Lukashenka 'cannot be trusted' in US envoy visit US envoy Keith Kellogg is reportedly due to travel to Minsk to discuss Russia's war in Ukraine with Belarus President Aliaksandr Lukashenka. 18/06/2025
Belarus Russia might use Belarus to attack the Baltics, Tsikhanouskaya says Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya told Euronews that her country might be used as a launchpad to attack and invade the Baltic states, but the people of Belarus will not go to war against their neighbours. 13/06/2025
The Europe Conversation Dictators only understand language of 'power or strength', says Tsikhanouskaya Belarus could be used as a launchpad for attacks on Ukraine and Western neighbours, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya warned on The Europe Conversation. 27/03/2025
Belarus Belarus sentences Japanese man to 7 years in jail for espionage Masatoshi Nakanishi was accused of taking photos of military facilities near Belarus' border with Ukraine and sharing them with Japanese intelligence. 18/03/2025
Belarus Lukashenko offers to host 'hassle-free' Ukraine peace talks The long-serving authoritarian leader is a close ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin. 05/03/2025
Belarus Lukashenko orders search for rare earth minerals in Belarus The move comes after US President Donald Trump tried to sign a rare earth minerals agreement with Ukraine. 04/03/2025
Europe News EU signals further sanctions on Belarus after Lukashenko election win Final votes are still being counted, and the result isn't expected to be released until later on Monday, but state television predicted Lukashenko would win with almost 88% of the vote. 27/01/2025
Belarus Belarus election set to extend Lukashenko's iron-fisted 30-year rule Belarusians will vote on Sunday in a presidential election that is all but certain to see President Alexander Lukashenko win a seventh term. 24/01/2025
Europe News Jailed Belarus opposition figure seen for first time in two years Viktar Babaryka was jailed for trying to run against President Alexander Lukashenko in a 2020 election and has been denied contact with his family. 09/01/2025
Belarus Catholic priest in Belarus sentenced to 11 years as crackdown tightens 'The harsh sentence is intended to intimidate and silence hundreds of other priests ahead of January's presidential election,' human rights activist Pavel Sapelka said. 30/12/2024
Europe News Russia and Ukraine exchange hundreds of prisoners of war Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war in a deal negotiated by the United Arab Emirates. 30/12/2024
Europe News Belarus pardons 20 prisoners as Lukashenko seeks seventh term Most were jailed following mass anti-government protests in 2020, when Lukashenko secured his sixth term in a vote widely condemned as fraudulent. 29/12/2024