2023-09-28 14:44 update: 2023-10-03, 14:52
Fot. EPA/SERGEY DOLZHENKO
The Ukrainian foreign minister has said that Poland and Ukraine have no choice but to overcome a grain crisis currently damaging relations between the two countries.
Dmytro Kuleba was speaking to the Interfax-Ukraine press agency on Thursday.
The two countries, which have enjoyed close ties owing to the Russian invasion, have fallen out recently over Ukrainian agricultural imports.
Earlier this month Poland, along with Hungary and Slovakia, decided to extend, unilaterally, a ban on Ukrainian wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower seeds owing to concerns that a glut of imports from its eastern neighbour could damage their farming sectors.
The move angered Ukraine, which responded by lodging a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the three countries.
Kuleba said Ukraine had not caused the crisis, but it wanted to end it.
"History, the present and the current security situation leave us no choice but to overcome the crisis in relations with Poland," he said. "There is no need for a war over grain, either for us or for Poland."
According to the minister, the political temperature in Poland will probably increase in the lead up to the October 15 parliamentary election.
Taking this into account, he continued, Ukraine has been cooperating with the European Commission, and been sending "clear signals" to Poland that it wants to find "a constructive solution" to the grain problem.
A recent agreement struck between Bulgaria and Romania and Ukraine could provide a framework for a deal with Poland, he said, and added "there are no problems which cannot be solved."
On September 21, Robert Telus, the Polish agriculture minister, appealed in a phone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart for Ukraine to withdraw its complaint from the WTO.
According to Telus, a solidarity corridor should be established to make it possible for Ukrainian grain to move through Poland but not to remain in the country. (PAP)
at/md/jch
