3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 21
Summary
Trump said the United States is working on a “massive” deal to buy potash from Belarus, aiming to pay substantially less than it now does to Canada.
Canada supplies the U.S. with much of its imported potash and controls about one-third of the global market, making any shift in sourcing significant for U.S. farmers and ranchers.
Belarusian exports face a major logistical and political hurdle: the EU has banned potash exports from Belarus since 2022, so added U.S. shipments would need to move through Russian ports.
The plan would deepen U.S. trade with a close Russian ally even as Western governments have tried to curb commerce with Russia and Belarus since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine from Belarusian territory.