Trump pressures Lithuania over sanctioned Belarusian fertilizers: details

The Trump administration is trying to persuade Lithuania to ease restrictions on Belarusian potash exports across the Baltic Sea, despite EU sanctions, as the United States seeks access to cheaper raw materials for fertilizer production and reduces its dependence on Canadian supplies.

This is reported by Politico .

According to four European officials, US special envoy for Belarus John Cole has been in contact with Lithuanian diplomats in recent weeks about easing restrictions on trade in Belarusian goods. EU sanctions prohibit the supply of Belarusian products through EU ports.

The main route for possible exports is expected to be the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda. Other ports on the Baltic Sea are also being considered, including Riga, the capital of Latvia.

Last month , Trump said he was working on a massive deal with Minsk to buy potash at a lower price than American farmers currently pay Canadian companies. According to sources, US administration officials have intensified contacts with Lithuania in recent weeks.

The US State Department said Washington seeks commercial opportunities that meet the country’s economic interests and regularly discusses them with allies and partners. It also noted that supplying Belarusian potash to the US could help reduce costs for American farmers.

Potash fertilizer prices have risen due to increased demand and Western sanctions against Russia , one of the world’s largest suppliers of the raw material. The United States imports almost all of its potash, with about 80% of its supplies coming from Canada.

According to journalists, Belarus controls about 20% of the world potash market . Before the introduction of broad EU sanctions, about 90% of Belarusian potash was exported through the port of Klaipeda.

The European Union countries unanimously agreed to ban the supply of Belarusian potash following the 2020 presidential elections in Belarus, which the EU did not recognize as legitimate, and the suppression of peaceful protests. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, sanctions were tightened, in particular due to Minsk’s support for Russian aggression.

The restrictions are extended every 12 months. The next extension is scheduled for February. Theoretically, Lithuania could block it, as lifting the sanctions requires unanimous consent from all 27 EU states.

At the same time, Lithuania remains one of Ukraine’s most consistent allies in the European Union. European officials fear that easing restrictions will strengthen the international position of self-proclaimed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and give him more opportunities to persecute opponents.

Last March, Trump began easing some US sanctions against Belarus, including on the state-owned Belarusian Potash Company. Washington explained this move by the need to support American farmers due to the rising cost of fertilizers.

However, Europe is skeptical about the possible easing of sanctions. According to Politico, this issue is also politically sensitive for the leadership of Lithuania and Latvia.

It was previously reported that the administration of US President Donald Trump may consider further easing sanctions against Russia, including restrictions on fertilizer production . Ukrainian officials fear that Washington will make new economic concessions to Moscow, despite the continuation of the war against Ukraine.

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