Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated that the blocking of the Polish-Ukrainian border, no matter what slogans it was accompanied by, has no justification. The statement was issued by the Ministry's spokesman, Oleh Nikolenko.
"Land borders remain important in the face of Russian aggression. The actions of Polish protesters and some radical Polish politicians undermine Ukraine's economy and resilience to repel Russian aggression. The border between Poland and Ukraine is also the border of the EU. It should not be held hostage to any political interests," the statement said.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry also considers the aggressive attitude of the protesters towards Ukrainians and Ukrainian goods crossing the Polish-Ukrainian border unacceptable.
"The anti-Ukrainian slogans heard at the border confirm the politically motivated nature of the action. Its goal is to provoke further deterioration of bilateral relations. Instead, the protesters don’t mention the threats posed by the import of grain and other agricultural products from Russia and other countries," the statement said.
The Ukrainian diplomatic mission calls on the Polish authorities to provide a legal assessment of the actions of the protesters, ensure the unblocking of the border and take measures to curb anti-Ukrainian rhetoric based on unfounded arguments.
"In the face of external challenges, it is extremely important to maintain the level of solidarity that Ukraine and Poland have built in recent years. Ukrainians and Poles must stand up for good neighbourly relations, repel any attempts to undermine mutual trust and jeopardise the security of our states," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stressed.
Blockade of Ukrainian exports on the border with Poland
- This morning, Polish protesters blocked the railway near the Shehyni border crossing and threw Ukrainian grain out of a railway carriage. One of the co-organisers of the blockade said that the protesters were throwing the grain "out of emotion" and that the organisers could not influence them.
- Earlier, Polish protesters said they were going to block all border crossings with Ukraine on 20 February. According to the protesters' statement, "not only border crossings, but also communication hubs and access roads to railway stations and seaports will be blocked".
- For their part, Polish hunters said they would join the farmers' protests.
- This is not the first time that Polish protesters have thrown up Ukrainian grain. On 11 February, during a border blockade, Poles dumped grain, which Ukrainian farmers grow and harvest despite shelling and mining, from three Ukrainian trucks. The grain was supposed to go to Lithuania. Polish police said they were investigating the incident.
- Poland's agriculture minister called the grain dumping an "act of desperation" and criticised the outrage of Ukrainian officials.