Former US Assistant Secretary Of State Warned The Trump Administration Against Rapprochement With Lukashenko
- 18.04.2026, 20:38
David Kramer reminded us that the regime has always deceived the West.
Executive Director of the George W. Bush Jr. Institute David Kramer, who was Assistant Secretary of State of the United States in 2006, believes that recent developments in Belarus and in U.S.-Belarusian relations require attention, even though the world is now focused on the Middle East.
In his article "No Hurry on Belarus," published on the website of the George W. Bush Jr. Presidential Center, where he serves as Vice President, David Kramer analyzed the results and consequences of the U.S.-Belarus negotiations, and the results and consequences of the U.S.-Belarus negotiations. He came to power in the 1994 elections and, through massive repression and rigged elections, made sure he would never lose that power. His dependence on Moscow for further governance undermined Belarus' sovereignty and independence," David Kramer wrote.
The politician recalled that Lukashenko has been destroying his opponents and critics for years, jailing members of the opposition so they can't challenge him, rigging elections, harshly persecuting protesters against the fraudulent 2020 election results, orchestrating a migration crisis on the borders of the European Union, playing a key role in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, forcibly expelling Belarusians from the country after their release from prison, and continuing to carry out hybrid attacks against European neighbors.
"The Trump administration may be trying to distance Lukashenko from Putin and Russia, but it should realize that Lukashenko has been deceiving both Russia and the West for decades, choosing the side that offers him the best deal. He remains in power because of Putin's support, which makes him dependent on his Russian counterpart," he said.
David Kramer believes that the US administration should not rush to normalize relations with Lukashenko's regime, especially given the fact that the International Criminal Court in The Hague has officially opened an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed by Lukashenko and his security forces against political opponents.
"Ensuring the freedom of people who should never have been in prison is ho Cole deserves credit for his efforts. The partial lifting of U.S. sanctions imposed for their release is appropriate. But we should not forget that the person who freed these men is the same person who put them in prison. The US administration should think twice before inviting a European dictator into the country," said David Kramer.
After several rounds of negotiations with the US delegation led by John Cole, Lukashenko has generally released about 500 political prisoners, most of whom were expelled by the Belarusian authorities to Lithuania or Ukraine without passports.