U.S. President Donald Trump’s representative John Coale speaks to the press in Vilnius, Lithuania, after the release of 52 political prisoners following his meeting with Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, September 11, 2025. (Yauhen Yerchak/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The Trump administration’s push to reopen Lithuanian ports to Belarusian potash exports is driven by U.S. envoy John Coale and does not reflect a broader policy shift in Washington, several U.S. and European officials told the Kyiv Independent.
The initiative has little support within the administration, with U.S. officials describing it as an independent act by Coale rather than promoting agreed-upon government policy.
Lithuania, a strong supporter of Ukraine, also has no intention of changing its position regarding the authorization of Belarusian potash exports via its territory, according to two officials familiar with the matter.
Belarus, a close ally of Russia, was once among the world’s main suppliers of potash. Potash is a key component in the production of agricultural fertilizers, giving commercial importance to Belarusian exports.
The US, UK, EU and Canada imposed sanctions on Belarusian potash after Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko’s regime violently cracked down on pro-democracy protesters in 2020, following an election widely seen as having been stolen by Lukashenko.
This latest move comes as the Trump administration seeks alternatives to Canadian imports, which previously accounted for about 80% of U.S. potash supplies.
In December 2025, Washington announced the lifting of sanctions against Belarusian potash producers.
But the lifting of US sanctions does not automatically allow Belarusian exports to reach European markets. EU sanctions currently prohibit member states from trading Belarusian products, and the bloc must renew these measures every 12 months by unanimous agreement.
Lithuania could theoretically block a renewal, potentially opening the way for future Belarusian exports via its territory. But the Lithuanian government has no intention of doing so, the kyiv Independent understands.
Lithuania rejects, US officials distance themselves
An EU official familiar with the Lithuanian position told the Kyiv Independent that the initiative to allow Belarusian potash exports through the country’s ports came only from Coale.
“The position has not changed,” the official said, adding that the EU’s broader position on Belarusian potash exports had also remained the same.
The US State Department “never discussed this subject” with Lithuania, according to the official.
A U.S. government official also called Coale’s proposal “agnostic,” saying neither the State Department nor the broader administration was pursuing the policy.
Several U.S. officials who spoke to the Kyiv Independent expressed frustration with what they described as competing and poorly coordinated foreign policy initiatives within the Trump administration.
One U.S. official called the U.S. policy “schizophrenic,” saying career diplomats at the State Department often ignored initiatives advanced independently by Coale and Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff.
White House officials, however, defended the decision to lift sanctions on Belarusian potash producers, linking it to what they called progress in relations with Minsk.
“The United States imports potash from several suppliers. The United States seeks trade opportunities that serve its economic interests, and we regularly discuss trade prospects with our allies and partners,” a Trump administration official told the Kyiv Independent.
The official said the decision to lift sanctions on Belarusian potash producers reflected Belarus’s “recent constructive engagement with the United States and the continued release of political prisoners.”
“We will not engage in specific business transactions,” the official said.
Coale did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Gn world
