Washington – The highest hostage negotiator in the United States said at least one U.S. citizen detained in Belarus was released, one of three released prisoners.
American hostage envoy Adam Boehler told White House reporters that individuals want to keep private. Two others were released Wednesday as part of the deal, he said. Andrey Kuznechyk, a reporter for Euro-Free Radio/Free Radio Free Broadcasting Corporation, was arrested in November 2021 as one of the people released. Another woman now in Texas was released two weeks ago, and Boller is called the “Phase One” of the version.
“The second phase was completed today,” Boller said.
Chris Smith, deputy assistant secretary of Eastern Europe, said the deal was negotiated by Minsk's Belarusian authorities, a sign that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is eager to build stronger relations with the United States
“This is a one-sided gesture from the Lukashenko authorities,” Smith said in an interview with CNN. “They are responding to the power. They want to improve the connection. It is a gesture around them. ”
Smith said the three were handed over to US custody in Belarus, and the United States “brings them back through Lithuania.”
The news came in Marc Fogel Released by the Kremlinan ally of Belarus.
President Trump said on Tuesday another American who will be held abroad on Wednesday will also be released, saying: “The others you will know will be released tomorrow.” But he did not elaborate further.
Fogel
The Biden administration only recently announced that Fogel was wrongly detained, and a few years later, he was arrested for being arrested in Moscow. His family said Fogel carried 17 grams of marijuana to treat chronic back pain.
“The wisest thing you can do is to bring the US president home,” Boller told reporters.
