The United States is facing a predicament due to an escalating trade dispute with its long-standing ally, Canada. The country could face a shortage of fertilizer, which is essential for soil fertility. To address this crisis, US President Donald Trump has initiated moves to purchase fertilizer on a large scale from Belarus, a close ally of Russia. Trump confirmed that Washington is on the verge of a massive deal with Minsk to import potash, bypassing Canada, the primary supplier. The Guardian reported this development.
The United States imports the vast majority of its potash, a key chemical component of fertilizer. Prices surged to record levels in the global market following the outbreak of the Ukraine war in 2022. According to 2024 government figures, Canada accounted for 79 percent of total US potash imports, whereas Russia supplied 11 percent and Belarus only 4 percent.
Despite Belarus’s strong support for Russia in the Ukraine war and its harsh crackdown on dissent, Washington is now keen to thaw relations with Minsk. As part of efforts to warm ties during Trump’s second term, Belarus recently released 25 political prisoners, and in exchange, the US lifted sanctions on two Belarusian entities. However, exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has termed the deal highly risky, warning that the proceeds from the fertilizer trade would be used to fund domestic repression and Russian military activities.
