Poland threatens to block Ukraine's accession to the EU over disputes over agricultural exports

Poland, one of the key members of the European Union, is imposing serious restrictions on Ukraine related to the agricultural sector, which could significantly affect Ukraine's prospects of joining the EU. The Polish Minister of Agriculture, Robert Telus, has stated that Poland is not considering Ukraine's accession to the EU until the issue of grain exports is resolved.

Minister Telus claims that Polish agriculture, which consists of several hundred thousand farms, will not be able to compete with the Ukrainian agricultural sector due to the difference in scale and resources. He calls for the creation of the necessary tools to regulate agricultural exports to help Polish farmers protect their interests.

Taras Kachka, Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade Representative of Ukraine, believes that Poland's actions against Ukrainian grain are unlawful and harmful to all farmers in the region. He emphasizes that Poland is creating an antagonistic atmosphere and will try to influence Ukraine's accession to the EU through agricultural restrictions.

This dispute over agricultural products has been noted as an important moment in Ukraine's accession negotiations with the EU. It is worth noting that the European Commission has already lifted the ban on imports of Ukrainian wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower seeds to several countries, but Poland has maintained its own restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural products.

The problem of an oversupply of Ukrainian grain on the EU market affects prices and incomes of local farmers. This issue is becoming even more complicated due to competition between different agricultural markets.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for a "civilized" response to the agro-export dispute and hopes that the neighboring countries can reach a constructive solution for the common good. The resolution of this dispute could affect the future of Ukraine-EU cooperation and Ukraine's prospects for joining the European family.