Myanmar Spring Chronicle – Scenes from April 22
(MoeMaKa), April 23, 2026
Western embassies issue welcome statements on the release of former President U Win Myint
On April 17, the first day of the Myanmar New Year during Thingyan, U Win Myint—the president of the NLD government that was ousted by the military coup—was released from prison. About five days later, Western embassies, including that of the United States, began issuing statements welcoming his release.
Although U Win Myint and other political prisoners were released on April 17, it is assumed that the statements from embassies only appeared around April 22 due to the Thingyan public holidays.
In a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Yangon, it said:
“We welcome reports that U Win Myint, Daw Shin Devi, and other political prisoners have been released as part of the Myanmar New Year observance. The United States will continue to call for the release of all political prisoners and will continue to support efforts toward peace and stability in Myanmar.”
The statement was accompanied by an image of a social media post by U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Riley Barnes.
However, the U.S. statement did not mention Daw Aung San Suu Kyi by name, which has surprised and drawn criticism from some in Myanmar. In contrast, statements issued by other countries—including the UK, Australia, the European Union, and Norway—did include her name and called for the release of remaining political prisoners.
Although the United States has long supported democracy in Myanmar, there are signs that under President Donald Trump, who took office in early 2025, interest in Myanmar has declined compared to previous administrations. Measures such as placing Myanmar on a list of countries subject to visa restrictions and ending extensions of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) have been interpreted as indications of reduced attention to Myanmar affairs.
The omission of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s name—despite her global prominence—has further fueled such suspicions.
Statements from the UK, Australia, Norway, and the European Union did include her name.
Another issue raised by Myanmar social media users concerns the fact that Western countries did not use the title “President” before U Win Myint’s name. Except for Canada, all countries referred to him simply as “U Win Myint.” Canada, however, used “President U Win Myint” and referred to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as “State Counsellor.” Other countries used only their names without titles.
Many Myanmar media outlets in exile continue to refer to him as “President U Win Myint,” and some see the omission of the title by Western embassies as inappropriate.
While Western governments and embassies do not recognize coup leader Min Aung Hlaing as the legitimate president or head of government, they appear to acknowledge the military authorities as a de facto government controlling the capital and major cities. Although they have downgraded diplomatic representation to chargé d’affaires level instead of appointing ambassadors, embassies remain open in Myanmar.
In this context, Western governments may be facing a dilemma over whether to refer to U Win Myint as “President” or “former President.”
Regardless of terminology, it should be recognized that Western countries do not acknowledge Min Aung Hlaing as the legitimate president.
Regarding U Win Myint’s release, the Philippine foreign minister, speaking on behalf of ASEAN, welcomed the development. However, there were no separate statements from other neighboring countries. Thailand’s foreign minister, who visited Naypyidaw on April 22 and met with Min Aung Hlaing, welcomed the release during the meeting and also raised the issue of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. According to reports, the junta leader said he is considering taking positive steps regarding her.
These developments reflect the current state of international diplomatic responses and appeals concerning Myanmar following the release of NLD vice chairman U Win Myint. Although Min Aung Hlaing became a nominally elected president after an election organized under military control with territorial limitations, he still faces significant challenges in gaining international recognition.