Broadcaster LRT has published an article on the prospects for discussing the transit of Belarusian potash fertilisers through Lithuania with U.S. involvement. Unnamed Lithuanian politicians confirmed that while European Union sanctions against Belarusian potash remain in place, real transit is not possible. However, they said the situation could change within a year.
“A scheme could emerge in which Belarusians are not involved, but Americans are. Then we would begin talking about the transit of ‘American’ fertilisers. We need to think about what we would do in such a case,” one of the broadcaster’s sources said.
Another politician confirmed that no one is speaking about it directly, but there are “theories” regarding the involvement of Donald Trump‘s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Another source described a possible scheme: Americans could create an intermediary company in Belarus that would purchase fertilisers from Belaruskali locally, after which they would become the property of Americans, who might want to transport the fertilisers via the shorter route through the port of Klaipeda. The source said such a scheme is already being discussed in closed circles.
“The likelihood that in a year’s time we will no longer be accustomed to these sanctions is real. But we need to talk not only about fertilisers. If we see changes in major international politics, we need to try to get ahead of the train. That means discussing with the Belarusians all our issues, everything important to us — from moving the Zapad exercises away from our borders to expropriated enterprises and prisoners. Then, when the time comes, we will be able to say: look, here is the full range of our interests.
But they [the Americans] do indeed bring up all the arguments at every meeting. Yes, no one is putting pressure on anyone, they simply say: ‘It is strange that you have taken such a position'”, another unnamed politician said.
Earlier, U.S. presidential envoy John Coale told LRT that he believed dialogue between Vilnius and Minsk was necessary. He also said Belarusian potash fertilisers should transit through Lithuania.
It is worth noting that Alyaksandr Lukashenka has repeatedly spoken about the possibility of selling the Nezhinsky mining and processing plant to American business interests. The plant has a capacity of 2 million tonnes of potash fertilisers per year. Most recently, Lukashenka said the Americans were still considering the idea. He also named a possible price for the enterprise — $3 billion.
