Trump's envoy uses jokes and vodka in talks with Lukashenko - NYT
Photo: Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko (Getty Images)
US special envoy to Belarus John Coale, a friend of Donald Trump, is building a relationship with Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko through jokes, shots of vodka and weight-loss advice. The approach has already helped secure the release of 500 political prisoners, but critics say the US is paying too high a price for it, according to The New York Times.
How it all started
When Coale was first invited to meet with Lukashenko, his colleagues advised him simply to "entertain" the dictator. When he arrived in Minsk last year, the diplomat began building a relationship through crude jokes and shots of vodka.
Just 20 minutes into the conversation, Lukashenko began emotionally complaining about European leaders - Coale played along, calling them "cowards."
"He loved me after that. The Europeans didn't," the diplomat admitted.
What the sides got
According to Coale, after the toasts, Lukashenko personally promised to release not only the American whose release they had negotiated, but also another US citizen - "because I like you." Overall, this approach helped secure the release of 500 political prisoners and pardons for several hundred more.
In exchange, Coale secured a partial easing of sanctions against Lukashenko and proposed a roadmap for normalizing relations between the US and Belarus.
Who is John Coale?
Coale, 79, is a lawyer from Baltimore who, before entering politics, represented victims of the Bhopal chemical disaster and handled the first major lawsuits against tobacco companies.
After social media platforms banned Trump following the events of January 6, 2021, Coale developed a legal strategy that forced Meta, YouTube and X to pay tens of millions of dollars to settle lawsuits.
Criticism of the approach
Critics argue that Coale is effectively rewarding an authoritarian regime. Activists call Belarus' judicial system a "conveyor belt" - new political prisoners are arrested as quickly as old ones are released, while, they argue, trading freedom for sanctions relief "encourages human trafficking."
Coale rejects these accusations, stressing that his goal is to secure the release of prisoners and bring Belarus into the "family of nations."
Plans for the future
Coale plans to use his connections to help free political prisoners in Russia as well. Nobel laureate Dmitry Muratov has already approached him about a possible exchange of civilian prisoners between Russia and Ukraine. First, the diplomat says, he wants to complete the release of the remaining Belarusian political prisoners and expects another major exchange in the near future.
RBC-Ukraine has been reporting on John Coale's talks with Lukashenko since the beginning of this year. In March, the special envoy traveled to Minsk to meet with the dictator at the Palace of Independence, and the next day Lukashenko spoke of a "big deal" with Trump that included the release of political prisoners.
The results of those negotiations became apparent within a few months. In May, Trump announced the release of three Poles and two Moldovans from Belarus and Russia, including Polish journalist Andrzej Poczobut, who had previously been held in a Belarusian prison.
