There are no EU sanctions on fertilizers, neither Russian nor Belarusian.

Omissions

• The claim omits that the EU adopted tariffs on Russian and Belarusian fertilizers in June 2025 (effective July 2025), which impose a 6.5% duty and a flat rate of €40–€45 per tonne. While tariffs are trade-policy instruments and not sanctions in the strict EU legal sense (restrictive measures under CFSP), they are directly motivated by Russia's aggression against Ukraine and Belarus's complicity, and they achieve a similar restrictive economic effect on fertilizer imports.
• The claim presents the absence of sanctions as though the EU imposes no restrictions on Russian/Belarusian fertilizers, when in fact tariffs with the same geopolitical motivation were already in force at the time of the speech.

Sources

• PrimaryCouncil of the EU — Sanctions Against Russia Q&AThe export and import restrictions exclude products primarily intended for consumption and products related to health, pharmaceuticals, food and agriculture, in order to avoid harm to global food security.
• PrimaryEEAS — Food Security Factsheet on EU SanctionsWhen restricted services are necessary for importing agricultural products from Russia (including via Belarus), EU sanctions provide for specific exceptions.
• PrimaryCouncil of the EU — Press Release on Tariffs for Russian and Belarusian FertilizersThe Council has adopted a regulation that imposes new tariffs on the remaining agricultural products and certain fertilisers from Russia and Belarus. It introduces a 6.5% import duty on fertilizers from both countries, with a flat rate of €40–€45 per tonne for 2025–2026.
• SecondaryIFPRI — How Sanctions on Russia and Belarus Are Impacting ExportsEU sanctions exclude Russian exports of food supplies and fertilizers to both EU and non-EU markets. While this policy aims to avoid disrupting critical global food supply chains, it does not fully shield Belarusian and Russian exporters.
• SecondaryClingendael Spectator — EU Sanctions Threaten Global Food SecurityThe EU has argued that its sanctions do not impact food security as food and agricultural products such as fertilisers from Russia are exempted.