The United States has lifted sanctions on Belarus' national airline Belavia, US President Donald Trump's spokesperson John Cole said.

This happened after a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk.

In return, Lukashenko agreed to release 52 political prisoners.

They safely crossed the Lithuanian border on Thursday, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said.

The press service of the Belarusian president specified that 14 foreigners were released: six citizens of Lithuania, two nationals each of Latvia, Poland and Germany, one French citizen, and one citizen of the UK.