US Presses Lithuania to Ease Curbs on Belarusian Fertiliser Transit
Donald Trump's administration is pushing Lithuania to lift sanctions on the transit of Belarusian fertiliser, Politico reports. Vilnius is refusing, and Latvian officials have also been approached.
The administration of US President Donald Trump is urging Lithuania to lift restrictions on the transit of Belarusian fertiliser through its territory, according to the US outlet Politico, which cited four European officials. The restrictions are part of European Union (EU) sanctions on the regime of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, and their fate could depend on Lithuania's position in EU decisions.
How the pressure is applied
The officials said Trump's special envoy for Belarus, John Coale, has spent recent weeks sounding out Lithuanian diplomats about easing the blockade on Belarusian goods. Two officials said Coale has been pressing all levels of the Lithuanian government for more than a year, since his first visit to Minsk. One source familiar with the talks said the American side has stepped up contacts, but that Lithuania has responded with a firm refusal.
The sanctions mechanism
EU sanctions bar European ports from unloading Belarusian goods. They must be renewed every 12 months, and the next extension is planned for February. Lithuania, which takes over the rotating EU presidency at the start of the year, could in theory veto the renewal and let the sanctions lapse. At the same time, it is one of Ukraine's most reliable allies in the EU.
Latvia's role and concerns
One source said the US has long been discussing whether Belarusian potash fertiliser could reach world markets via Klaipeda and other Baltic Sea ports, including Riga, which would be simpler than routing it through Russia. One official confirmed that Coale has also approached Latvian representatives on the issue.
European officials are reluctant to follow Trump's course on Russia and its allies. Eastern European officials fear that easing sanctions would give Lukashenko greater international legitimacy and more freedom to keep imprisoning his opponents. Another official questioned whether a world market for Belarusian potash even exists, given Canada's dominant position in this niche.
Earlier statements
In September, Trump announced an agreement on Belarusian potash, saying it would be cheaper than Canadian fertiliser. Lukashenko then said Belarus had no spare volumes to send to the US. The Lithuanian president's administration has called transit of the fertiliser a "moral humiliation".
