Europe

Trump Names His Former Lawyer Coale to Serve as Belarus Envoy

John Coale speaks to members of the media after the release of 52 political prisoners following a meeting with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Sept. 11.Photographer: Yauhen Yerchak/Anadolu/Getty Images

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By Kate Sullivan

November 9, 2025 at 5:42 PM UTC

US President Donald Trump said he is nominating John Coale as a special envoy to Belarus and asked President Alexander Lukashenko to consider releasing more political prisoners.

Trump credited Coale — who is currently serving as a deputy special envoy to Ukraine and was previously one of the Trump’s lawyers — for the release of “100 Hostages” and said he “is going for an additional 50.”