Lukashenko Meets Trump Envoy John Coale in Minsk

US President Donald Trump's special envoy for Belarus, John Coale, met Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk on Tuesday, in a rare direct engagement between Washington and one of Europe's most isolated governments.

During the meeting, Lukashenko said the public was aware of Coale's visit and was following it with keen interest, adding that neighbouring countries and other national leaders were also watching the talks closely.

Coale conveyed greetings from Trump, telling Lukashenko that the US president was "very supportive" of what the two sides were doing. The envoy's remarks were delivered in English and translated for the Belarusian side.

The two men shook hands before sitting down for discussions, footage of the encounter showed.

Lukashenko has led Belarus, a country of about 9.5 million people, for more than three decades. His government has faced repeated sanctions from Western countries over its crackdown on human rights and its decision to allow Moscow to use Belarusian territory for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The meeting marks a fresh point of contact between the Trump administration and Minsk, whose ties with the West have been deeply strained for years.