Ukraine will ban the import of onions, tomatoes, cabbage, and apples from Poland

In the coming days, Kyiv will respond to the ban on the import of Ukrainian agricultural products by blocking the import of certain Polish vegetables and fruits: onions, tomatoes, cabbage, and apples.

This was announced by Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Kachka, in an interview with Rzeczpospolita.

According to him, after five months of negotiations with Warsaw, Ukraine lost hope for a resolution of the dispute regarding the import of Ukrainian agricultural products. Therefore, Kyiv turned to the World Trade Organization (WTO) for assistance. Kachka mentioned that Ukraine received no response from Warsaw regarding this matter. Furthermore, Poland not only extended the ban on the import of Ukrainian grain but also expanded it to include more products, such as flour and grain meal.

Kachka pointed out that Poland “does not have the right to impose such measures,” and the Ukrainian side is trying to prove this. He emphasized that Kyiv initially disagreed with the export ban.

“For us, it is important to move in the right direction, which means engaging in dialogue with the European Commission as the institution responsible for international trade,” Kachka emphasized.

The Deputy Minister of Economic Development explained that Ukraine took these measures to “convince” Poland to step back and agree to a trade licensing mechanism for grain, developed in cooperation with the European Union, for which Kyiv would be responsible.

At the same time, Kachka added that Ukraine has no intention of worsening relations with Poland and aims to find civilized methods to resolve the dispute.

The day before, Polish President Andrzej Duda compared Ukraine to a drowning person who “can drag you down to the depths.”

Speaking at a briefing for Polish journalists in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Duda defended Warsaw’s decision to impose unilateral restrictions on the import of Ukrainian agricultural products, which Kyiv disputes within the framework of the WTO. As reported by the PAP news agency, the Polish President likened Ukraine to a drowning person, explaining that “anyone who has ever participated in rescuing a drowning person knows that they are incredibly dangerous and can drag themselves down into the depths.”