Belarus opposition leader warns US of 'risky' deal with Lukashenko

Any deal with President Alexander Lukashenko's Belarus comes with risks, the country's exiled opposition leader told AFP on Monday, as US leader Donald Trump floats major fertilizer purchases from the Russia ally.

"Our position is that it is not time to trade with the regime while all the income from potash goes to repression, goes to support of the Russian war machine," said Svetlana Tikhanovskaya.

"Any deal with the regime is very risky," she warned.

But she stressed her belief that Americans "know who Lukashenko is," and that Trump knows what he is doing.

Her comments in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly come as Trump said Monday that Washington is "working on a massive deal" involving the purchase of potash from Belarus.

The US president added on his Truth Social platform that doing so would cost less than buying from Canada.

On Monday, Tikhanovskaya cautioned that Belarus authorities' income could also go towards military infrastructure.

Washington has re-opened dialogue with Minsk and eased some sanctions, with US envoy John Coale's visits leading to prisoner releases since Trump returned to the White House.

But the country remains under scrutiny over its repression of dissidents and support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Hundreds remain in prison in Moscow-allied Belarus after Lukashenko, in power since 1994, suppressed mass protests against his re-election in 2020.

On Monday, Tikhanovskaya applauded Coale's efforts to free political prisoners.

But she added: "What is important is that this humanitarian track will not transform into a political one."

Tikhanovskaya challenged Lukashenko in the 2020 election, and her defeat sparked large-scale protests and a brutal crackdown by the security services on her supporters that also forced her into exile.

While she welcomes US efforts to secure the freedom of more people, she urged Washington to push for a halt to repression in the country as well.

"While releasing some people, Lukashenko takes twice more," she said. "It's like revolving doors."

She estimates that even as hundreds have been released since negotiations, there remain more than 900 political prisoners detained.

She added that it is important for sanctions, particularly European ones, to remain in place to keep pressure on authorities.

Ukraine has warned Belarus against being dragged into its war with Russia. It has highlighted attacks by Moscow on northern Ukraine and alleged military preparations were detected on the Belarusian side of the border.

"We have to continue our strong, principled policy towards the Lukashenko regime and support Belarusian people," said Tikhanovskaya.