Lukashenko says no free potash available after Trump announces 'large-scale deal'

Self-proclaimed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko stated that the country does not have large free volumes of potash fertilizers for supply to Western markets. The statement came amid negotiations with the United States and Donald Trump's announcement of a "large-scale deal" to buy Belarusian potash cheaper than from Canada.

During a meeting with the head of the State Customs Committee of Belarus, Vladimir Orlovsky, Lukashenko said that Minsk managed to redirect a significant part of commodity flows to the East, and as one example mentioned negotiations with the American side.

At the same time, he noted that virtually the entire volume of potash fertilizers planned for this year already has buyers.

"We simply do not have these volumes, everything is contracted", - said Lukashenko, speaking about possible supplies to Western markets.

This statement came on the same day that U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Washington is working on a major deal to buy potash fertilizers from Belarus.

According to Trump, the price of Belarusian potash within the future agreement should be "significantly lower" than what the U.S. currently pays Canada. The U.S. President called this good news for American farmers, but did not disclose either the potential supply volumes or the timing of the contract. 

Therefore, as of September 22, it is about negotiations, not about an already concluded trade agreement. Lukashenko's statement indicates that Minsk's ability to quickly redirect significant volumes of fertilizers to the American market may be limited by existing contracts.

Potash negotiations are taking place against the backdrop of gradual easing of U.S. sanctions against the Belarusian potash industry. In March 2026, the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control removed "Belaruskali" and associated entities, including the Belarusian Potash Company, from the sanctions list.

This was a continuation of the normalization of contacts between Washington and Minsk, which was accompanied by the release of groups of prisoners by the Belarusian authorities. At the same time, EU sanctions on Belarusian potash remain in force, complicating its transportation through European ports.

For the U.S., potash is a critically important raw material for fertilizer production. Trump is trying to reduce the American agricultural sector's dependence on supplies from Canada amid a new trade conflict between Washington and Ottawa.

Based on materials from: Donald Trump on Truth Social, U.S. Department of the Treasury / OFAC