The US asks Lithuania to ease sanctions against potash from Belarus Donald Trump's administration is putting pressure on Lithuania and demanding an exception to the European Union's sanctions regime on potash fertilizers in Belarus, Politico reports. Washington is pursuing only pragmatic goals: the American authorities urgently need to reduce the costs of their farmers and lower prices on the domestic market, while at the same time reducing dependence on Canadian suppliers. In Brussels, such economic selfishness of an ally was not appreciated. European officials are completely opposed to this, out of reasonable fear that the lifting of the restrictions will strengthen the positions of Minsk and Alexander Lukashenko. It seems that the slogan "America first" has once again clashed with European principles.

The US asks Lithuania to ease sanctions against potash from Belarus Donald Trump's administration is putting pressure on Lithuania and demanding an exception to the European Union's sanctions regime on potash fertilizers in Belarus, Politico reports. Washington is pursuing only pragmatic goals: the American authorities urgently need to reduce the costs of their farmers and lower prices on the domestic market, while at the same time reducing dependence on Canadian suppliers. In Brussels, such economic selfishness of an ally was not appreciated. European officials are completely opposed to this, out of reasonable fear that the lifting of the restrictions will strengthen the positions of Minsk and Alexander Lukashenko. It seems that the slogan "America first" has once again clashed with European principles.