U.S. President Donald Trump says he is working on a “massive deal” to purchase potash from Belarus.

“The pricing would be for substantially less than we are currently paying to Canada, very good news for our Farmers and Ranchers,” he posted to Truth Social on Monday.

Canada is the leading exporter of potash, shipping about 22.9 million tonnes in 2024, accounting for over 39 per cent of global exports according to the Government of Canada.

The leading destination of Canadian exports of potash is the United States. The U.S. imports nearly 85 per cent of its potash from Canada.

Belarus ranks third in potash production behind Russia and Canada.

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[+] -32 points 1 week ago (4 children)

Lukashenko is one of several dictators in Europe. The others include Putin (obviously), the Pope, Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein, and a few edge cases with near-dictatorial powers: Vučić in Serbia, Albert II of Monaco and Zelenskyy in Ukraine, who, although understandably given the circumstances, suspended elections and remains in power indefinitely.

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  • [–] 13 points 1 week ago (2 children)

    Out of these, I suspect that Zelenskyy is the one who would rather be chilling on a beach somewhere than be in power longer than necessary.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 week ago*

    Hans-Adam II might have near dictatorial powers, within the constitutional monarchy, but only one with a self destruct button. The citizens of Liechtenstein can initiate a process that forces a referendum on the abolition of the monarchy and he does not have a veto to that. Unlike Russia, people working towards that goal will also not disappear in some Gulag. That is the difference to a dictatorship.

    Zelenskyy hasn't suspended elections. The constitution itself suspends elections during war time. That is not indefinitely either, unless you are suggesting that Russia is planning to send its citizens to their death in the hundreds thousands per year for eternity. Other democracies have suspended elections while being invaded as well. That is actually rather the norm than the exception.

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