TALLINN – Two Roman Catholic priests who were imprisoned on what human rights officials said were politically related charges were released from prison Thursday following talks with the Vatican, officials said.

The move, which was confirmed by the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Belarus, comes amid speculation about warming relations between Minsk and the West after a phone call between authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko and U.S. President Donald Trump in August led to the release of some political prisoners.

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