Polish authorities ignored Shmyhal’s government at the border

23 February 20:53

The Ukrainian delegation arrived at the border after Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered Poland to find a compromise on the border blockade. However, a meeting with Polish officials did not take place on 23 February at the border. This was announced by the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, reports

Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction Oleksandr Kubrakov, Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko, Minister of Agriculture Mykola Solskyi, Deputy Foreign Minister Yevhen Perebyinis, Deputy Minister of Economy Taras Kachka, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Serhiy Derkach, Head of the State Border Guard Service, General Serhiy Deineko and Head of the State Customs Service Serhiy Zvyagintsev arrived at the border.

“We understand the challenges faced by the Polish government. And we are ready to help resolve this situation. We are going to a meeting. The President of Ukraine offered the Polish leadership a platform to negotiate and find a compromise. Here, on the border. As equal partners and allies… But, unfortunately, such a meeting with Polish officials did not take place today,”

– shmyhal said.

Shmyhal stressed that Polish farmers have hit Ukraine’s economy and, accordingly, its ability to better defend itself against the Russian army with their border blockade. And recently, not only did they block traffic on the border with Poland again, but they also began to carry out outright provocations, apparently with a view to spilling Ukrainian grain.

“A month ago, in Kyiv, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Poland is Ukraine’s most reliable, most important ally in this deadly battle against evil. A month ago, we agreed that the blocking of the border is harmful to our countries and that it is important to prevent such incidents. A month has passed, and we are back to this point again. Only now we see outright provocations,”

– stressed the Prime Minister of Ukraine.

Border blockade

on 9 February 2024, Polish farmers launched a new nationwide strike and blockade of the border with Ukraine, which will last until 10 March. It was initiated by the independent farmers’ trade union Solidarity. Starting from 12 February, they plan to block all checkpoints. The main demand of the protesters is to cancel the preferential trade regime with Ukraine and return the permit system for importing goods into Poland.

Problems at the border began on 6 November 2023, when Polish transport companies began blocking truck traffic at three major checkpoints on the Ukrainian border: “Korczowa-Krakowiec, Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska, and Dorohusk-Yagodyn. One of the requirements was to reinstate the permits for Ukrainian carriers that had been cancelled under the agreement with the EU by 30 June 2024.

On6 January, truck traffic to the Medyka-Shehyni border crossingin Poland resumed. Three other border crossing points were opened on 17 January, namely Dorohusk – Yagodyn, Hrebenne – Rava-Ruska, and Korczowa – Krakivets.

In Romania, on 13 and 14 January, local farmers blocked the movement of Ukrainian trucks through the Siret checkpoint, and on 15 January, they began blocking the Vicovu de Sus checkpoint. on 18 January, Romanian farmers began blockading the Dyakove-Halmeu checkpoint. However, as of 20 January, these checkpoints were opened.

Currently, the blockade of the border continues – “Polish farmers” have blocked truck traffic at six checkpoints. According to the State Border Guard Service, there are more than 2,500 trucks in the queues.

Meanwhile, Poland has already imposed an embargo on Ukrainian grain, according to Polish Deputy Agriculture Minister Michal Kolodziejczak.

Polish Minister of Development and Technology Krzysztof Hetman, in turn, said that Poland could impose an embargo on all Ukrainian agricultural products.

Polish farmers will also block the German border.

Дзвенислава Карплюк
Editor