US Undersecretary for Political Affairs David Hale met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko as Washington looks to improve ties with the isolated regime in Minsk.
In a statement released by the US embassy after the talks, Hale said US-Belarus relations were at a "historic juncture".
"It is my honour to announce that we are prepared to exchange ambassadors as the next step in normalising our relationship," he said.
Hale did not say when the ambassadors, who were withdrawn from both capitals in 2008 in a row over sanctions, might return. Washington eased sanctions against Belarus in 2016. Hale said that if Minsk shows more progress during upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections "we can discuss further easing of sanctions".
Belarus will hold parliamentary elections this year and presidential polls in 2020.
Often dubbed "Europe's last dictatorship", Belarus has been the target of Western sanctions over its poor rights record and lack of fair elections.
Hale also pointed out that Washington did not ask Belarus "to choose between East and West," saying it respected Belarus's "desire to chart its own course".
The 65-year-old Lukashenko is a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarus's improvement in ties with Washington comes amid apparent Kremlin pressure for closer ties between Moscow and Minsk.