Self-proclaimed Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko said at a government meeting on Monday 10 November that official talks between Minsk and a US delegation will take place shortly.

Source: European Pravda, citing BelTA, a Belarusian state-owned news outlet

Details: Lukashenko said the agenda of the talks will include the situation on the Lithuanian-Belarusian border.

Quote from Lukashenko: "We hardly move anything across that border now because of the sanctions. Only a couple of goods go through – the ones the Lithuanians or Poles really, really need. They ask, we send. No request – nothing goes. And the Kazakhs, Russians, Chinese and the rest will have to do more than just agree on something; they'll have to put real order into this. No one will do it for them.

We will sort out everything else shortly once talks start with the delegation from the United States of America. I have a feeling we cannot do without them now."

Background:

• Recent reports indicate that US President Donald Trump has nominated John Cole, described by Trump as "one of our Country's truly GREAT lawyers", as his special envoy to Belarus.
• In recent weeks, the Trump administration has sought to re-establish contact with Lukashenko's regime, and this has been reflected in the release of Belarusian political prisoners.
• As part of these efforts, the United States lifted sanctions on the Belarusian state-owned airline Belavia.
• On Tuesday 4 November, the US Treasury Department eased certain sanctions on Belarus, lifting restrictions on the national airline and permitting operations connected to Lukashenko's aircraft.

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