{"id":210793,"date":"2026-11-06T15:19:06","date_gmt":"2026-11-06T12:19:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/210793\/"},"modified":"2026-11-06T15:19:09","modified_gmt":"2026-11-06T12:19:09","slug":"us-envoy-pushing-for-belarusian-potash-transit-through-lithuania-on-his-own-initiative-kyiv-independent-says","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/210793\/","title":{"rendered":"US envoy pushing for Belarusian potash transit through Lithuania on his own initiative, Kyiv Independent says"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n\n John Coale\n <\/div>\n \n
\n (Pozirk) <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

November 6, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> The Trump administration’s push to reopen Lithuanian ports to Belarusian potash exports is being driven by US Special Envoy on Belarus John Coale and does not reflect a broader policy shift in Washington, multiple US and European officials told the Kyiv Independent<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The initiative has little support within the administration, with US officials describing it as Coale acting independently rather than advancing an agreed government policy, the report<\/a> said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lithuania, a staunch supporter of Ukraine, also has no plans to change its position on allowing Belarusian potash exports through its territory, the Kyiv Independent<\/em> said, citing two officials familiar with the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A European official familiar with Lithuania’s position reportedly told the Kyiv Independent <\/em>that the US State Department “has never raised this” with Lithuania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A US government official similarly described the proposal as Coale “freelancing,” saying neither the State Department nor the wider administration was pursuing the policy, the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several US officials who spoke to the Kyiv Independent<\/em> reportedly expressed frustration with what they described as competing and poorly coordinated foreign policy initiatives within the Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One American official described US 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, the Kyiv Independent<\/em> said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

White House officials, however, reportedly defended the decision to lift sanctions on Belarusian potash producers, linking it to what they described as progress in relations with Minsk and the continued release of political prisoners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the report, Coale did not respond to multiple requests for comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Politico<\/em> reported on October 29 that the Trump administration is pressing Lithuania to open a central Baltic Sea port to potash exports from Belarus, despite European sanctions, as the United States looks to reduce its reliance on Canada for the critical fertilizer ingredient and help drive down costs for American farmers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lithuania insists US did not pressure it over Belarusian potash transit<\/h3>\n
November 5, Pozirk. Washington is not pressuring Vilnius to resume transit of Belarusian potash fertilizers,\u00a0Lithuanian Foreign Minister K\u0119stutis Budrys told \u017dini\u0173 Radijas yesterday, reiterating an earlier statement by\u00a0Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevi\u010dius. The official dismissed reports of pressure as \u201ccompletely untrue,\u201d …<\/div>\n \n