Minsk: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned 31 Ukrainian citizens under an agreement with former US President Donald Trump. The process of transferring them to the Ukrainian side is underway, as confirmed by Natallia Eismant, spokeswoman for the Belarusian leader.

According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the pardon was granted at the request of the Ukrainian side to help create conditions for resolving the ongoing armed conflict. Eismant stated that the decision was guided by humanitarian principles and was made as a gesture of goodwill from the Belarusian president, aimed at addressing the criminal offenses committed on Belarusian territory by the pardoned individuals.

In addition to the 31 Ukrainians, two Catholic priests, Andrey Yukhnevich and Heinrich Okolovich, convicted of serious crimes against the state, were also pardoned. This decision came upon the request of Pope Leo, with the involvement of Metropolitan Joseph Stanewski.

This isn’t the first time Lukashenko has enacted such pardons. Earlier in September, he pardoned 25 individuals as part of Unity Day celebrations, showcasing a pattern of granting clemency in line with specific requests and significant dates.