Ukraine has accused Poland of causing difficulties in the transit of grain

Ukraine has accused Poland of deliberately hindering the transit of grain during a meeting of the coordination platform on Ukrainian exports.

This information reported by a senior EU diplomat to the RMF24 radio station.

“The situation has become very tense due to the emotional response from the Ukrainian side,” the diplomat emphasized.

According to the radio station’s information, during the meeting, Kyiv accused Warsaw of deliberately conducting veterinary checks, which led to waiting times at border crossings of up to 12 days. Poland, on the other hand, presented data showing an increase in Ukrainian exports during the existing restrictions.

In April, five Central European countries (Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia) imposed a ban on the import of grain and other agricultural products from Ukraine. They later lifted these measures in exchange for the European Commission’s decision to impose an embargo on Ukrainian exports of four types of cereals and oilseeds (wheat, maize, rapeseed, and sunflower seeds) until June 5 and subsequently until September 15. These five countries are seeking an extension of the embargo until at least the end of the year.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Kyiv is strongly opposed to any further restrictions on grain exports. He argued that the European Commission is violating promises, provisions of the Association Agreement, and the conditions of a free market, and therefore, Kyiv is ready to defend its rights in court.

On September 12, the spokesperson for the Polish government, Piotr Müller, told the Polsat television channel that Poland is ready to unilaterally ban the import of grain from Ukraine if the European Union refuses to extend such a ban beyond September 15. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki stated that Warsaw will not allow a “flood of Ukrainian grain” and will not open its borders, regardless of any decision by Brussels officials. In response, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal threatened to turn to the World Trade Organization if Warsaw imposes a unilateral ban on the import of Ukrainian grain.