Part 7/13:
This development signals a potential thaw in U.S.-Belarus relations, a nation long regarded as a close ally of Russia and notorious for its authoritarian regime under President Alexander Lukashenko, who has maintained power through rigged elections and widespread repression. The Belarusian leader, often described as wielding an iron fist, permitted Russian forces to use Belarusian territory as a staging ground during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, drawing heavy sanctions from Western nations.