Washington is studying the possibility of lifting sanctions on potash fertilizers in Belarus in exchange for Minsk’s consent to the transit of Ukrainian grain through the country, Report informs referring to The Wall Street Journal.
US officials may lift sanctions against the Belarusian potash industry for six months in exchange for allowing Ukrainian transit. It is assumed that if the Belarusian side agrees, the grain will be delivered by rail through the territory of Belarus to the port of Klaipeda.
In August 2021, a year after the presidential elections in Belarus, which were not recognized by the West, the US placed Belaruskali OJSC, one of the largest producers of potash fertilizers in the world, on the sanctions list.
In December last year, US Treasury sanctions were extended to the Belarusian Potash Company, the only exporter of potash fertilizers from Belarus, as well as to Slavkali, which was building facilities for the production of potassium chloride in the country. At the same time, the US Treasury warned that any companies that operate in this sector may subsequently be included in the sanctions list.