The EU welcomed the release of Belarusian human rights defender Ales Bialiatski. On 21 June, a spokesperson from the European Union External Action Service (EEAS) said in a statement:
"We welcome the release of Belarusian human rights defender Ales Bialiatski. After almost three years of imprisonment on politically motivated grounds, he can now finally rejoin his family and friends.
This is an important step by the Belarusian authorities and should be followed without delay by the release of all the remaining political prisoners and the reinstatement of their full civil and political rights. This could contribute to improving relations between the European Union and Belarus."