Polish PM calls on farmers to stop blockade of Ukraine's border

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called on Polish farmers to stop blocking the border with Ukraine.

As reported by Polskie Radio, Tusk stated that Ukraine is in a tough situation after the recent series of Russian strikes and the near future may be decisive for the fate of this war. 

"I want to appeal to everyone in Poland without exception [and ask] not to do anything that could harm Ukraine... We must make decisions that will protect the Polish border and border crossings," he said. 

Tusk emphasised that the Polish government cannot allow the blocking of crossings, regardless of the justification the protests have.

"We cannot harm Ukraine in any way at a time when the fate of the war is being decided," Tusk pointed out. 

He mentioned that border crossings, according to the government's latest decision, have critical infrastructure status and that the government is ready to provide further assistance to farmers who have lost some of their income. 

"I am counting on them to reflect and abandon this form of protest," Tusk said. 

He added that state services will work on clearing the border crossings. However, Tusk does not believe that direct coercive measures are necessary in this case.

On 18 April, CIA Director William Burns warned lawmakers that if the US Congress does not approve assistance to Ukraine now, Kyiv may lose the war by the end of the year.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Brown have stressed the need for Congress to approve aid to Ukraine as soon as possible, as the delay is already having consequences on the battlefield.