US Urges Ukraine to Ease Belarus Potash Sanctions as Minsk Seeks More Room From Russia
Updated
Updated · Українські Національні Новини · May 20
US Urges Ukraine to Ease Belarus Potash Sanctions as Minsk Seeks More Room From Russia
6 articles · Updated · Українські Національні Новини · May 20
Washington is asking Kyiv to help ease sanctions on Belarusian potash, aiming to loosen Minsk's economic dependence on Russia and encourage Alexander Lukashenko to act more independently.
Potash was a major source of hard-currency revenue for Belarus before EU sanctions, but an expert cited in the report said lifting pressure would likely benefit Lukashenko more than materially shift Belarus away from Moscow.
Ukraine is unlikely to concede soon, the report said, because Belarus remains complicit in Russia's war and still poses security risks along the border despite no current strike group on its territory.
Any broader rollback would also face logistical and political limits: Belarusian exports depend on routes through Russia or through EU states Poland and Lithuania, both strong backers of sanctions.
Belarusian fertilizer supplies could modestly increase global availability and trim prices, but the report said they are not critical to the world market.
As the US and EU diverge on Belarus, is the Western anti-Russia coalition beginning to fracture?
Is America’s diplomatic gamble with Belarus putting Ukraine’s national security at an unacceptable risk?