US envoy Coale may also stop in Vilnius, Lithuanian PM says
US President Donald Trump's special envoy John Coale, who is preparing to travel to Belarus, could also visit Vilnius, Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius said. A meeting between the two is not yet confirmed.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius told reporters at parliament on Thursday that US special envoy John Coale, who is due to travel to Belarus soon, may also make a stop in Vilnius.
According to Sinkevičius, Coale's visit to Minsk could involve discussions on the release of hundreds of political prisoners held in Belarus. "It is likely that he will visit Vilnius, and it is likely that the relevant officials, perhaps even I, will meet with him," the prime minister said.
However, Sinkevičius cautioned that a meeting was not guaranteed, since he is set to travel to Ukraine next week. "It may simply happen that Mr Coale arrives while I am leaving, so I really can't say anything concrete," he said.
Coale has previously indicated that a further release of political prisoners could occur in September. He visited Minsk last spring, and afterward called on Lithuania to restore the transit of Belarusian fertilisers and to hold a high-level meeting with Minsk.
The last major release of political prisoners by Belarus' authorities took place in March.
