Kyiv Agrees To Trade Restrictions With The EU And Poland

Ukraine is willing to accept limitations on its trade with the EU as a means to resolve a contentious political disagreement with Poland, according to the Ukrainian trade minister, reported by the Financial Times.

Taras Kachka stated to the Financial Times that Kyiv supports implementing new restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural imports. However, Ukraine is also urging the EU to prohibit Russian grain imports, which continue to enter the bloc via Belarus and the Baltics.

Kachka proposed a managed approach to trade flows between Ukraine and the EU for a transitional period. He emphasized that while Ukraine is willing to cooperate, it is Russia, not Ukraine, that poses challenges for Polish farmers regarding wheat exports.

Following Russia's complete invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the EU removed tariffs on Ukrainian imports. However, neighboring countries like Poland quickly faced an oversupply issue, leading farmers to protest by taking to the streets and participating in border blockades against what they deemed unfair competition.

During the previous administration, Warsaw implemented a unilateral ban that contravened EU trade regulations. Ongoing protests in recent weeks have prompted Prime Minister Donald Tusk to request exemptions from Brussels and persist with the imposed restrictions.

Taras Kachka alleged that Moscow was inciting the Polish protests, a claim echoed by EU trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis. Kachka asserted that Moscow was unequivocally responsible for a recent attack, wherein Polish farmers overturned a train transporting Ukrainian grain, resulting in the cargo being spilled.