Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul is criticizing the Trump administration for buying 37 percent more fertilizer from Russia this year than last.
McFaul responded to a report issued by NEXTA, which noted: “In March, the United States imported more than $240 million worth of Russian fertilizers — the highest level in the history of bilateral trade. For the quarter, the total reached $564 million, up 37% year-on-year.”
McFaul replied, “Shameful.”
Shameful.
And yet some people still argue that Trump is doing more for Ukraine than Biden ever did. https://t.co/kvJoZhwLU6
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) May 6, 2026
[NOTE: The U.S. war in Iran and the closing of the Strait of Hormuz are pushing up U.S. demand for Russian fertilizers due to price and availability. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, total goods imports from Russia hit $366M in March 2026 (Q1: $879M). Fertilizers are a major category (2025 annual: $1.8B).]
NEXTA added: “New U.S. tariffs did not hit Russia but affected its competitors, tilting the market in Moscow’s favor. The situation was further worsened by the crisis in the Middle East. Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz pushed many suppliers out of the market, sending fertilizer prices sharply higher. Against this backdrop, the U.S. is forced to buy from Russia — otherwise the impact on agriculture would be severe.”
According to The Moscow Times, as the world’s second-largest fertilizer producer after China, “Russia is well positioned to capitalize on the disruption” in the Middle East. Andrei Guryev, head of the Russian Fertilizer Producers Association, said fertilizer plants were operating “at near full capacity” amid a surge in orders.
[NOTE: According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity, in 2025, the U.S. imported $8.42B of fertilizers: the main origins of imports were: Canada ($3.63B), Russia ($1.58B), Saudi Arabia ($438M), Qatar ($430M), and Israel ($271M). The fastest growing origin for fertilizer imports in the U.S. between 2024 and 2025 was Russia ($503M).]