Lukashenko says Belarus doesn’t have enough potash for Trump

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has acknowledged that his nation lacks sufficient potash to meet U.S. President Donald Trump's requests. At a meeting on Monday with Vladimir Orlovsky, the head of Belarusian state customs authority, Lukashenko stated, "Everyone keeps saying: Ah, potash! Even if we wanted to supply [potash] to other, Western markets, we simply do not have those volumes — everything is contracted."

On the same day, Trump announced that his country was "working on a deal" to purchase Belarusian potash fertilizer, emphasizing that it is "substantially" cheaper than Canada's offering. The ongoing trade dispute between Washington and Ottawa centers around the escalating potash market.

Canada, the leading global potash producer, generates 15 million metric tons annually, while Belarus contributes around 6 million metric tons, slightly higher than the U.S.'s annual import volume of 5.6 million metric tons. Lukashenko revealed earlier this month that Belarus had supplied the U.S. with potash for the first time since 2021.

In March, sanctions imposed by Washington on Belarusian fertilizer were lifted. However, Lukashenko clarified on September 11 that Belarus cannot supply substantial volumes to the U.S., as its yearly output is already contracted. He did not disclose the exact amount of potash sold to the U.S. or whether it had been shipped yet. Lukashenko also mentioned that Washington must first release frozen Belarus state funds, totaling $43-$44 million, which have been blocked since 2022 due to Belarus' support for Russia's war against Ukraine.

During their recent talks in Minsk, Trump's special envoy John Cole stated that the U.S. was prepared to release the funds. Earlier this year, the U.S. requested Ukraine to allow the transit of Belarusian potash exports through its territory, a demand that the Ukrainians rejected, citing their own economic interests.