Washington DC - President Donald Trump said Monday he was working on a "massive" deal to buy fertilizer from Belarus, pivoting away from main supplier Canada toward an ally of Russia.

Trump's announcement on purchases of potash comes as Washington pursues dialogue with Minsk despite its repression of dissidents and support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

At the same time, Trump has stepped up a trade war with North American neighbor Canada, a long-term US ally and top trading partner.

"The United States is working on a massive Deal with respect to the purchase of Potash from Belarus," Trump said on his Truth Social network.

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"The pricing would be for substantially less than we are currently paying to Canada, very good news for our Farmers and Ranchers."

The US imports the vast majority of its potash – a chemical salt used to manufacture fertilizer. Prices soared after the Ukraine war.

In 2024, 79% came from Canada, 11% from Russia, and 4% from Belarus, according to the US Geological Survey.

Washington has quietly moved to thaw relations with reclusive Belarus under Trump's second administration.

Last week, Belarus freed 25 political prisoners as the US lifted sanctions on two of the country's companies.

But hundreds remain in prison after President Alexander Lukashenko, in power since 1994, suppressed mass protests against his re-election in 2020.

Western countries again squeezed Belarus with sanctions for its repression in 2022 after Minsk allowed Moscow to invade Ukraine through its territory.