Polish Farmers Block Ukraine Border, Dump Grain in Protest
Polish farmer protests on Tuesday have sparked fury in neighbouring Ukraine.
Kyiv has urged the European Commission to intervene decisively after demonstrators blocked the border and dumped grain from railway cars in protest.
Poland has been a firm ally of Ukraine in its fight against Russia. However, protests by farmers, who claim unfair competition, have strained relations already tense after truckers blocked border crossings earlier this year.
Tuesday's farmer protests represented a significant escalation, with a near-total blockade of all Ukrainian border crossings and disruptions at ports and roadways nationwide.
Television footage depicted protesters at the Medyka border crossing opening railway cars and dumping wheat onto the tracks.
"The dumping of Ukrainian grain on the railway tracks is a deliberate political provocation aimed at dividing our nations," stated Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov in a social media post.
Ukrainian Economy Minister Iulia Sviridenko confirmed that Kyiv has notified the European Commission about Polish protest actions and expects a strong response. Agriculture Minister Mikola Solskii emphasised that the grain was destined for Germany and posed no threat to the Polish market.
Polish President Andrzej Duda has stated that the Polish government is in negotiations with farmers and trade unions, expressing hope that talks will resolve the issue.
Farmers throughout Europe have been demonstrating over various grievances. These include restrictions imposed by European Union climate change measures and perceived unfair competition from abroad, especially Ukraine, following a 2022 EU decision to waive tariffs on Ukrainian food imports.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
