Poland Will Continue To Block Ukrainian Grain Whatever The EU Commission Decides

Poland would not hesitate to issue an order to block the import of Ukrainian grain if the European Commission refused to extend the grain embargo on Ukraine, according to Polish Development Minister Waldemar Buda.

Currently, the European Commission has given the green light to five EU member states who have placed a grain embargo on Ukraine, but Buda said during an interview with public radio PR 24 that he feared the EU commission was likely to end the embargo.

Nevertheless, the Polish government indicates it cannot allow Ukrainian grain imports at a time when Polish farmers have just completed their harvest and need to sell their produce. The grain embargo on Ukrainian products containing wheat, corn, rapeseed, and sunflower imposed by Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia was agreed by the European Commission at the beginning of May. It was to last until June but was extended by the EU commission until Sept. 15.

Buda confirmed that the transit of Ukrainian grain into other EU states or to the countries of Africa and the Middle East would continue without interruption, and this effort would receive support and encouragement from Poland.

The “solidarity corridors” backed by the European Commission would continue so that grain could flow to places around the world that need it, as these countries do not have the capacity to produce the grain themselves. 

In July, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki warned that if the European Commission does not extend the grain embargo on Ukrainian grain until the end of the year, Poland will have to close its border to the import of these goods from Ukraine. All the agriculture ministers from the five neighboring states have recently reaffirmed their support for the embargo to continue.

As Remix News also reported, Hungary will also continue to block Ukrainian grain, regardless of what the European Commission decides.