Topline
The U.S. is working on a “massive deal” to buy fertilizer from Belarus that would be cheaper than what the U.S. imports from Canada, President Donald Trump said Monday, boasting about discussions with the Russian ally even as Russia may be preparing to attack NATO countries.
US President Donald Trump speaks about healthcare in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on September 18, 2026.
Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
Trump said in a post the U.S. is in talks with Belarus to purchase potash, salts used primarily as fertilizer.
The president claimed the pricing for the fertilizer “would be for substantially less than we are currently paying to Canada.”
The dealmaking comes as Trump has engaged in a trade war with Canada, which issued its own retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. last month after Trump greenlit 50% tariffs against Canadian imports in July.
Despite the trade war, Canadian potash is exempt from U.S. import tariffs and makes up over 80% of the potash used on U.S. farms, according to The Canadian Press.
Belarus is a major exporter of potash and while it is not directly involved in Russia’s yearslong invasion of Ukraine, the country acts as a major strategic partner, offering land and infrastructure for military operations.
Big Number
$4.2 billion. That is how much money’s worth of potash the U.S. imported from Canada in 2025, according to Natural Resources Canada.
Tangent
Donald Tusk, the prime minister of Poland, warned this weekend Russia may be planning to strike European countries supporting Ukraine, citing intelligence reports from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. French President Emmanuel Macron has also warned of cyber and drone attacks from Russia, arguing the country could frame the attacks as accidents.
Key Background
The U.S. imposed 50% tariffs against Canadian imports including concrete, alcohol, dairy and various metals. Trade talks between the U.S. and Canada were held in August and eventually fell through following disagreements on auto and steel tariffs, as well as domestic alcohol policies. Canada announced retaliatory tariffs on $27.6 billion worth of U.S. goods that included sectors such as steel, dairy, agriculture equipment, electronics, appliances, paper and pulp.
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