US lifts sanctions on Belarusian potash: will Lukashenka release 150 more political prisoners?

The United States is lifting sanctions on Belarusian potash. This was stated on Saturday by the US President's special envoy to Belarus, John Cole, after a meeting in Minsk with Alexander Lukashenka, UNN reports with reference to Euronews and "Pul Pervogo".

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"In accordance with President Trump's instructions, the United States is lifting sanctions on potash," Cole said. "I think this is a very good move by the United States for Belarus. We are lifting them now."

The American envoy also noted that communication on the issue of sanctions between Washington and Minsk will continue. "As relations between the two countries normalize, more and more sanctions will be lifted," John Cole said, expressing hope that in the future the parties will reach a situation where there will be no such restrictive measures at all.

According to Cole, the talks with Lukashenka, which began on Friday and continued on Saturday, "were very productive." The American envoy reported that the parties discussed the normalization of relations, as well as the war between Russia and Ukraine, noting that "Lukashenka gives good advice on resolving the conflict in Ukraine."

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Euronews notes that in August 2021, a year after the presidential elections in Belarus, which were not recognized by the West due to accusations of falsification, the United States sanctioned JSC "Belaruskali", one of the largest producers of potash fertilizers in the world.

According to the National Statistical Committee, before the crisis in 2020, Belarus earned $2.4 billion from the export of potash fertilizers. This is about 8% of the total volume of Belarusian exports, or about 4% of the country's GDP.

The previous visit of the American delegation led by Cole to Minsk took place in September. After that meeting, the Belarusian authorities released 51 prisoners from prisons and deported them to Lithuania. Belarusian independent media report that this year's trip may result in the release of another 150 people, who, according to their data, may be deported to Poland.