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Zebbound Diplomacy: how a Weight-loss Drug Helped Secure Prisoner Release from Belarus
Dateline: December 27, 2023
The recent release of political prisoners from Belarus this month, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialyatsky, may have had an unexpected catalyst: weight-loss medication. Reports indicate the U.S. Donald Trump administration leveraged an obesity treatment drug, Zebbound, during negotiations with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko.
A Diplomatic Diet: how ‘Zebbound’ Helped Secure Prisoner release
The unusual strategy involved building rapport with Lukashenko through discussions about a popular weight-loss drug.
- The U.S. lifted sanctions on Belarusian potassium in exchange for the prisoner release.
- Special Envoy John Cole reportedly developed a close relationship with Lukashenko.
- Zebbound, an obesity treatment, became a key talking point in negotiations.
- The wall Street Journal described the approach as a “bizarre diplomatic attempt.”
On December 24th (local time), the wall Street Journal reported that John Cole, President Trump’s special envoy to Belarus, gained favor with President Lukashenko through conversations about ‘Zebbound,’ an obesity treatment manufactured by Eli Lilly. Belarus, a key ally of Russia, is led by Lukashenko, often referred to as “Europe’s last dictator,” and maintains a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
What role did a weight-loss drug play in international diplomacy? According to reports, Special Envoy Cole fostered a personal connection with President Lukashenko through frequent meetings in Minsk, Belarus, where they shared meals and drinks. Belarus had been quietly seeking improved relations with the United States, hoping for sanctions relief during a potential second Trump term.
