EU-Poland negotiations about unblocking Ukrainian border lasted over six hours

Ukraine, Poland, and the European Union have held negotiations in a trilateral format to unlock the border and seek common positions to address the agro-export crisis. 

The negotiations lasted over six hours, Rubryka reports, referring to the Ministry of Infrastructure.

Representatives of the relevant agricultural associations of Poland and Ukraine also participated in the inter-ministerial meeting on March 27. 

From the Ukrainian side, the negotiations involved the Minister of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine Mykola Solskyi, his deputy Markiyan Dmytrasevych, and Deputy Minister of Economy Taras Kachka.

From the Polish side, the participants included the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Poland, Czesław Siekierski, Deputy Minister Michał Kołodziejczak, and others.

Solskyi said it was "a difficult but frank" conversation between ministries and associations. 

"It is important that we have already discussed possible solutions that will soon be announced. At the same time, the issue is complex for all parties and requires additional time," the minister noted.

The Ukrainian side presented an analysis of their exports to Poland and other EU countries to their Polish counterparts. They also discussed changes occurring in agro-export since the start of the full-scale invasion, including improvements in the maritime corridor.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Agrarian Policy emphasized that "these figures debunk negative information surrounding Ukrainian agro-export."

Currently, the negotiations are ongoing and will continue on March 28. Ukrainian-Polish intergovernmental consultations at the level of the Prime Ministers of both countries will also take place in Warsaw.

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk met in Warsaw to discuss the situation at the border and other issues.

What we know about the border closure with Poland

Polish transport carriers and later farmers began blocking the movement of Ukrainian trucks on the border between countries in the autumn of 2023. The reason for the carrier strike is dubbed "excessive competition" following the adoption of a "transport visa-free regime" between Ukraine and EU countries. Polish farmers are protesting to soften the European "green course," closing borders to the influx of agri-food products from outside the EU and protecting animal husbandry in Poland. They also demand to receive more subsidies, grants, and compensations.

They blocked traffic at six border crossings. Polish media even reported that Ukraine and Poland were supposedly negotiating a temporary border closure for bilateral trade in goods. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine denied the information about such negotiations.

Due to the blockade, the Ukrainian economy has already suffered losses of a billion euros, while the economic losses to Poland are even greater. Moreover, three Ukrainian drivers have died on Polish territory.

However, recently, farmers have unblocked several border crossings with Ukraine, although the blockade continues on other routes.