The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has called the border blockade in Poland a political action

This was announced by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Oleg Nikolenko.

“The recent examples include particularly radical manifestations – spoiling Ukrainian grain at the border and demonstrations by farmers in Wrocław with anti-Ukrainian slogans”, he said.

Nikolenko noted that these actions, in addition to the blockade of the Polish-Ukrainian border, not only cause significant damage to the Ukrainian economy, which is already suffering from Russian aggression, but also violate the principles of Ukrainian-Polish solidarity.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminded that “Ukrainians are paying with their lives so that Polish and other European cities can live in peace”.

“This should not be forgotten or taken for granted”, added the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ministry emphasized that any attempts by radical or anti-market measures to weaken the Ukrainian economy will only undermine the ability to deter Russian aggression and create additional threats to the security and prosperity of Poland.

“Ukraine is deeply grateful to both the Polish government and the Polish citizens for all the support and assistance during these two years of full-scale Russian invasion. The Ukrainian side has always advocated for a constructive approach to resolving issues related to the transit of Ukrainian grain and trade. We expect the Polish authorities to adhere to a similar approach”, Nikolenko said.

Therefore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the Polish government to effectively prevent unlawful actions against Ukrainian cargo and to properly respond to rhetoric that harms bilateral relations.

Recall that on Friday, February 16, Polish farmers began blocking the sixth checkpoint “Korchova-Krakovec” on the border with Ukraine.

Reasons for strikes at checkpoints

The protests by farmers have been ongoing for many weeks. They claim that it is related to the decision of the European Commission to extend the suspension of import duties for agricultural goods from Ukraine until 2024. Last week, Hungarian farmers joined the Poles and staged a protest near the “Zahony” checkpoint on the border with Ukraine. The strikers insist that products coming from outside the European Union should be subject to the same rules as EU farmers, and Brussels should protect the interests of its own farmers, “rather than trying to destroy the European countryside with its actions”.

Protesters also complain that Ukraine allegedly exports products with an increased GMO content, and they oppose this. However, it is worth noting that the true reasons for border blockades are more political than economic. The organizers of the blockade in Poland, the recently created “Committee for the Protection of Carriers and Employers in the Transport Industry”, claim that the action is economic and not political. However, their actions have not found support among the authorities and other organizations of carriers. Nevertheless, the protest is being actively supported by the consistent anti-Ukrainian and anti-European party “Konfederacja”, whose representatives are the most vocal in expressing anti-Ukrainian statements, fighting against Ukrainian refugees in the media, and already billing for assistance to Ukraine and its citizens.

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