The Trump administration’s push to reopen Lithuanian ports to Belarusian potash exports is being driven by U.S. envoy John Coale and does not reflect a broader policy shift in Washington, multiple U.S. and European officials told the Kyiv Independent. The initiative has little support within the administration, with U.S. officials describing it as Coale acting independently rather than advancing an agreed government policy.
The proposed reopening of Lithuanian ports to Belarusian potash comes after Washington lifted sanctions on Belarusian potash producers in December 2025. The latest push comes as the Trump administration seeks alternatives to Canadian imports, which previously accounted for around 80% of U.S. potash supplies. However, EU sanctions still prohibit member states from trading in Belarusian goods, and the bloc must renew those measures every 12 months by unanimous agreement. Despite the U.S. lifting its sanctions, Lithuania, a staunch supporter of Ukraine, has no plans to change its position on allowing Belarusian potash exports through its territory, according to two officials familiar with the matter.
A European official familiar with Lithuania’s position told the Kyiv Independent that the initiative to allow Belarusian potash exports through the country’s ports was coming solely from Coale. “The position has not changed,” the official said, adding that the EU’s broader stance on Belarusian potash exports had also remained the same. The U.S. State Department “has never raised this” with Lithuania, according to the official.
A U.S. government official similarly described the proposal as Coale “freelancing,” saying neither the State Department nor the wider administration was pursuing the policy. Multiple U.S. officials expressed frustration with what they described as competing and poorly coordinated foreign policy initiatives within the Trump administration. One American official described U.S. policy as “schizophrenic,” saying career diplomats at the State Department were often unaware of initiatives advanced independently by Coale and Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff.
White House officials defended the decision to lift sanctions on Belarusian potash producers, linking it to what they described as progress in relations with Minsk. “The United States imports potash from several suppliers. The U.S. looks for commercial opportunities that serve American economic interests, and we discuss commercial prospects with allies and partners regularly,” a Trump administration official told the Kyiv Independent. The official said the decision to lift sanctions reflected “Belarus's recent constructive engagement with the United States and continued release of political prisoners.” Coale did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The rift exposes internal divisions within the Trump administration over foreign policy coordination, with envoys pursuing initiatives that are not backed by the State Department.
- Reopening Lithuanian ports would break EU sanctions and weaken the bloc's unified stance against the Lukashenko regime, potentially undermining Western pressure on Belarus.
- The push could strain relations between Washington and Vilnius, a key NATO ally and strong supporter of Ukraine, at a time when transatlantic unity on Russia policy is critical.
Background
Belarus, a close ally of Russia, was once among the world’s leading suppliers of potash, a key agricultural fertilizer ingredient. The U.S., U.K., EU, and Canada imposed sanctions on Belarusian potash after the regime of Alexander Lukashenko violently cracked down on pro-democracy protesters in 2020, following an election widely viewed as having been stolen. The Trump administration lifted U.S. sanctions on Belarusian potash producers in December 2025, seeking alternatives to Canadian imports. However, EU sanctions remain in place and must be renewed annually by unanimous consent of member states.
Key Perspectives
- European official: says the initiative to allow Belarusian potash exports through Lithuanian ports is coming solely from Coale; Lithuania’s position and the EU’s stance have not changed.
- U.S. government official (anonymous): describes the proposal as Coale “freelancing,” with neither the State Department nor the wider administration pursuing the policy.
- American official (anonymous): describes U.S. policy as “schizophrenic,” with career diplomats often unaware of initiatives advanced independently by Coale and Steve Witkoff.
- Trump administration official: defends the lifting of sanctions on Belarusian potash producers as reflecting “Belarus's recent constructive engagement with the United States and continued release of political prisoners.”
What to Watch
- Whether EU member states, led by Lithuania, will block renewal of sanctions on Belarusian goods when they come up for the next annual vote.
- Further independent moves by Trump envoys Coale or Witkoff that could create additional rifts with State Department policy.
- Any shift in Lithuania's public position if Washington applies direct diplomatic pressure.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedCoale’s push to reopen Lithuanian ports to Belarusian potash exposes a rift in Washington.Kyiv Independent: “Exclusive: Trump envoy's push to reopen Lithuanian ports to Belarus exposes rift in Washington.”
- SupportedThe push is driven by John Coale and does not reflect a broader policy shift in Washington, according to multiple U.S. and European officials.Kyiv Independent: “The Trump administration's push to reopen Lithuanian ports to Belarusian potash exports is being driven by U.S. envoy John Coale and does not reflect a broader policy shift in Washington, multiple U.S. and European officials told the Kyiv Independent.”
- SupportedThe initiative has little support in the administration, and a U.S. government official described Coale as “freelancing,” not advancing a policy pursued by the wider administration.Kyiv Independent: “The initiative has little support within the administration, with U.S. officials describing it as Coale acting independently rather than advancing an agreed government policy. [...] An U.S. government official similarly described the proposal as Coale "freelancing," saying neither the State Department nor the wider administration was pursuing the policy.”
- SupportedLithuania has no plans to change its position on allowing Belarusian potash exports through its territory, according to two officials familiar with the matter.Kyiv Independent: “Lithuania, a staunch supporter of Ukraine, also has no plans to change its position on allowing Belarusian potash exports through its territory, according to two officials familiar with the matter.”
- SupportedWashington announced in December 2025 that it was lifting sanctions on Belarusian potash producers.Kyiv Independent: “In December 2025, Washington announced lifting sanctions on Belarusian potash producers.”
- SupportedCanadian imports previously accounted for around 80% of U.S. potash supplies.Kyiv Independent: “The latest push comes as the Trump administration seeks alternatives to Canadian imports, which previously accounted for around 80% of U.S. potash supplies.”
- SupportedEU sanctions prohibit member states from trading in Belarusian goods.Kyiv Independent: “EU sanctions currently prohibit member states from trading in Belarusian goods”
- SupportedA European official said, “The position has not changed.”Kyiv Independent: “"The position has not changed," the official said”
- SupportedThe European official said the U.S. State Department “has never raised this” with Lithuania.Kyiv Independent: “The U.S. State Department "has never raised this" with Lithuania, according to the official.”
- SupportedAn American official described U.S. policy as “schizophrenic.”Kyiv Independent: “One American official described U.S. policy as "schizophrenic,"”
- SupportedA Trump administration official said the U.S. seeks commercial opportunities serving its economic interests and discusses commercial prospects with allies and partners.Kyiv Independent: “"The United States imports potash from several suppliers. The U.S. looks for commercial opportunities that serve American economic interests, and we discuss commercial prospects with allies and partners regularly,"”
- SupportedA Trump administration official said the decision to lift sanctions reflected Belarus’s recent constructive engagement with the U.S. and continued release of political prisoners.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 continued release of political prisoners."”