Belarusian president pardons 31 people under agreement with Trump

MOSCOW

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Saturday pardoned 31 Ukrainian citizens under an agreement with his US counterpart Donald Trump.

The process of transferring them to the Ukrainian side is underway, spokeswoman for the Belarusian leader Natallia Eismant told reporters in Minsk.

"Upon the request of the Ukrainian side, aiming to create conditions for resolving the armed conflict … guided by humanitarian principles and as a gesture of goodwill, the president granted pardon to 31 Ukrainian citizens who committed criminal offenses on our territory," she said.

The spokeswoman confirmed that, that as a gesture of goodwill, two Catholic priests, Andrey Yukhnevich and Heinrich Okolovich, convicted of serious crimes against the state, were also pardoned on Thursday.

The decision was made upon the request of Pope Leo, with the participation of Metropolitan Joseph Stanewski, she said.

Earlier in September, Lukashenko pardoned 25 individuals ahead of Unity Day celebrations.