Liberalization and Freezing: The US Policy Toward Belarus Has Undergone Substantial Changes
On March 19, John Kelly, a special envoy of Trump, announced after talks with Lukashenko that the United States has lifted sanctions against Belarusian Investment Bank, the Belarusian Development Bank, and the Ministry of Finance of Belarus. Belaruskali Company and the Belaruskali Consortium have also been removed from all sanction lists.
On the same day, the US embassy in Vilnius confirmed that, within the framework of an agreement mediated by the United States, Belarus released 250 detainees: 235 were released domestically, and 15 were sent to Lithuania. In response, Washington agreed to ease sanctions against the financial sector of Belarus and to lift the remaining sanctions on Belarusian potash companies.
This marks a substantive shift in Trump's policy toward Minsk during his second term. Directly lifting sanctions on core financial institutions, the Ministry of Finance, and the potash giant effectively begins the full restoration of Belarus's key external economic channels.
Potash accounts for about 4% of Belarus's GDP and is also an important source of hard currency for Belarus. Belarus is the third-largest potash producer in the world, after Canada and Russia. With the war in Iran causing a surge in fertilizer prices, the liberalization of Belarusian potash is a direct benefit to American farmers, the global fertilizer market, and especially import-dependent countries like India.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1860110643180544/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.