US eases sanctions on Belarusian investment bank, potash companies

March 26 (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday eased sanctions on a major Belarusian state-run investment bank and several potash companies, according to the U.S. Treasury Department website.

The department issued a general license authorizing transactions involving the state-run Belinvestbank and other entities, according to the U.S. Treasury Department website.

It also removed more than a dozen other Belarusian companies, including several potash companies, from its sanctions list, according to the website. The companies include Belaruskali, Belarusian Potash Company and BPOC's subsidiary Agrorozkvit.

The U.S. initially imposed sanctions on Belinvestbank in 2022 over Belarus' support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The removal of sanctions follows a similar move in December, when the U.S. granted limited sanctions relief to three Belarusian potash companies following the European country's release of prisoners.

Potash is a key component in fertilisers, and the former Soviet state is a leading global producer.