Poland Wants to Ban Grain Imports from Ukraine by End of Year

The Minister of Development and Technology of Poland, Waldemar Buda, has stated the need to keep an embargo on grain from Ukraine until at least the end of the year.

"We will not lift our measures until similar measures are introduced at the European level. Time is on our side. We will keep Polish decisions until the situation stabilises," the minister said on Radio Zet.

When asked about the fact that the European Union wants the embargo on goods from Ukraine until the end of June, Waldemar Buda replied that "it is absolutely impossible to lift the embargo in June."

"Otherwise, it may happen that after the harvest, Ukrainian grain will once again fill the silos that we are now so determined to empty," explained the Minister of Development.

When asked whether Poland will maintain the embargo until at least the end of the year, despite the EU, Buda stated: "In Poland, probably yes."

Currently, five EU countries – Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary – have banned imports of Ukrainian food, primarily grain, until 30 June. Initially, Poland also banned the transit of Ukrainian grain through its territory, but at the end of last week, the transit was unblocked.

On Wednesday, the third round of negotiations (Ukr) between the European Commission and the ministers of agriculture of the five countries failed. The European Commission is becoming irritated by the fact that more and more products are being added to the list. It agreed to ban imports of wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower seeds, which was already an unprecedented decision.