In a surprising diplomatic twist, Donald Trump appears to be courting Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, one of Vladimir Putin’s closest allies. Following U.S. efforts to negotiate prisoner releases, Trump publicly thanked the “highly respected Lukashenko” on Truth Social. Analysts say this move signals Washington’s attempt to re-engage with Minsk as part of Trump’s broader push to open backdoor diplomacy with Moscow. The outreach comes just days after Trump’s talks with Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, raising questions over whether he’s shifting U.S. strategy away from Kyiv and toward Putin’s inner circle.