MINSK, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko met on Thursday with John Cole, representative of U.S. President Donald Trump, to discuss sanctions, prisoner issues and broader efforts to improve bilateral relations, the Belarusian leader's press office has said.

During the discussions, Lukashenko expressed readiness to address Washington's concerns over the release of individuals imprisoned in Belarus. He also urged an honest conversation on global issues affecting both countries' interests, particularly around war and peace, the press office said.

The Belarusian president said the economic sphere remains the most important area for bilateral cooperation, noting that Belarus is interested in expanding economic cooperation with the United States.

For his part, Cole said that the United States is committed to improving relations with Belarus. He described the recent lifting of sanctions on the Belarusian airline Belavia as an initial step and expressed hope that progress on prisoner issues could lead to further normalization.

Following the meeting, Cole announced that Washington wants to reopen its embassy in Minsk and normalize relations with Belarus. ■