In what seems to be the initiation of thaw in relations between Belarus and the United States, Washington is ready to life sanctions on the Russia ally.

The development emerged after US special envoy for Belarus, John Coale, met the country’s authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, for talks in Minsk on Friday and Saturday.

Speaking with journalists, Coale described the two-day talks as “very productive,” Belarus’ state news agency Belta reported Saturday.

Coale said the meetings focused on steps that will normalise relations between Washington and Minsk, including lifting sanctions and releasing political prisoners in Belarus, adding that the relationship between the two countries was moving from “baby steps to more confident steps” as they increased dialogue.

Belta said the discussions also touched on Venezuela, as well as Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Minsk has faced Western isolation and sanctions for years, with the country being repeatedly sanctioned by Western nations both for its crackdown on human rights and for allowing Moscow to use its territory in the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Lukashenko, who has ruled the nation of 9.5 million with an iron fist for more than three decades, is under increasing pressure by the US and EU to de-scale his support to Russia.

Meanwhile, Coale also told reporters that Lukashenko had given “good advice” on how to address the conflict, saying that Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin were “longtime friends” with “the necessary level of relationship to discuss such issues.”

“Naturally, President Putin may accept some advice and not others,” Coale said.