At the local elections in Poland (7 April), just like at last year's parliamentary elections, politicians actively used the topic of relations with Ukraine in the context of "protecting Poland's economic interests."

Business associations representing the entire Polish economy strongly opposed any unilateral bans on Ukrainian agricultural products by Poland, which states the Business Council on the import ban of agricultural products from Ukraine to Poland.

The Polish Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers also made a separate, sharp and reasoned statement regarding the inadmissibility of unilateral embargoes against Ukraine.

Read more about who in Poland has led to the economic crisis with Ukraine in the column by Yulii Zoria, a Ukrainian-Polish trade expert – Blockade that failed: Why farming conflict with Ukraine damaging Poland.

According to the expert, the irresponsibility of politicians has led to a new crisis between Poland and Ukraine.

In particular, he considers the actions of representatives of the currently oppositional Polish party Law and Justice (PiS), which, to continue its stay in power, introduced blockades and inspired protests, irresponsible.

Yulii Zoria reminds us that there were many myths about agro-imports from Ukraine, which are now deeply embedded in the mind of the Poles.

For example, as the author notes, the assertion that Poland suffers losses from trade with Ukraine is nonsense.

"It doesn't make sense to narrate about supposedly poor quality of Ukrainian grain, as it is grown outside the EU," the expert writes.

According to him, Poland does not make any claims about the quality to any country except Ukraine. He notes that bananas from Ecuador, grapes from Türkiye, honey from China, etc., are imported into the EU, and the importer – an EU resident – is responsible for the quality of these products, ensuring appropriate laboratory analysis.

"But these claims do not make any particular sense given that neither PiS nor other groups, which initiate protests to become government officials, previously made any demands to ban Russian products," the author points out.

PiS first used manipulative narratives in April 2023 together with introducing an illegal and absolutely economically unfounded embargo on a wide range of Ukrainian agricultural products, introduced a year ago.

Instead, the expert is convinced that Ukraine is perfectly suited to the structure of European farming.

Yulii Zoria explains that one can only get losses by growing grain in the EU. And other taxpayers have to cover these expenses. And Ukraine specialises in growing grain in large areas without any subsidies.