What Kyiv should do to protect the border with Poland from a blockade

From 15 November, Ukraine's border with Poland could once again be blocked.

Applications have been submitted to local Polish border authorities (gminas) to hold mass events from that date onward.

Read more about how Ukraine can counter such blockades in the column by Yulii Zoria, a Ukrainian-Polish trade expert – How Ukraine should act in case of a new border blockade with Poland.

The expert advises, first of all, to gather information about the organisers to have leverage.

Based on previous blockades, Zoria suggests that the same individuals are likely involved. To confirm, Ukraine should contact gminas directly to obtain relevant documents.

"Our embassy in Poland is there to stay informed and prevent situations like this, but it essentially fails to fulfil this function. Moreover, when you look at the embassy's website, especially the section on current activities, it appears as if the border blockade issue does not concern them at all," writes Zoria.

According to him, appealing to European institutions or attempting behind-the-scenes agreements is ineffective.

Instead, Zoria proposes the following actions:

1. Engage in official legal avenues within Poland’s judicial system.

Zoria suggests Ukraine should take legal action to defend Polish interests as well. He points out that if a blockade occurs, Poland itself, whose trade balance benefits most from bilateral trade, will suffer.

"If a small group of people blocks the border with Ukraine, they harm not only Ukraine but, above all, Poland's broader interests," Zoria explains.

2. Be more active in the media, especially within Poland.

Ukraine needs to convey the arguments mentioned above to the Polish public through Polish media.

In Zoria's view, the solution to border issues involves working within Poland's official legal framework and defending Ukraine's interests in Polish courts. Additionally, dialogue with Polish society, using Polish media to communicate Ukraine's stance, is essential.

Ideally, the Ukrainian embassy in Poland should handle this, but given its lack of action, business communities remain the only coordinated force that can step up in this regard.