Trump pivots to Belarus potash deal to undercut Canada after US-Canada trade war talks collapse

From the Newshound archive · first published 22 September 2026.

President Donald Trump has announced the United States is working on a "massive" deal to buy potash from Belarus, openly targeting Canada's dominance as America's top fertiliser supplier. The move signals Washington's willingness to engage with an ally of Russia despite Belarus's repression of dissidents and its backing of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Trump posted on Truth Social that Belarus pricing would be "substantially less" than Canada's, promising relief for American farmers and ranchers. In 2024, Canada supplied 79% of US potash imports, with Belarus accounting for just 4%.

Last week Belarus freed 25 political prisoners as the US quietly lifted sanctions on two Belarusian companies, paving the way for closer ties.

Canada's Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne has hit back, saying his country "stood up for our industries, our workers, our country" by imposing retaliatory tariffs after a US trade deal collapsed last month.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is simultaneously courting a new Canada-EU economic alliance, with Brussels offering Canada an unprecedented "associate membership" of the bloc.