Polish farmers have been blocking checkpoints between our countries for many months. Thousands of trucks and kilometers of queues are complicating logistics, which is crucial for a country at war. In addition to grain carriers, which Poles are reluctant to allow transit, the queues also include cars carrying humanitarian aid, military equipment, transport for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, fuel, and more. Furthermore, provocations involving the spilling of grain at the border and the display of individual slogans suggest that these actions are artificial.
“I am confident that the blockade of the Ukrainian border is not an economic issue but a political one. The whole scenario of this blockade clearly points to its customer – the Kremlin,” Denys Kostrzhevskyi, Board Chairman of Kyiv International Airport, expressed this opinion.
“Our airspace is closed, seaports and infrastructure are vulnerable to missile and drone attacks, and railway communication falls short of meeting transportation needs due to technical issues. As a result, road transport serves as the most crucial artery for supplying Ukraine with the necessary resources for survival and the ongoing struggle. At a time when Poland has become almost the most important transportation hub, Polish authorities have been blocking checkpoints through which Ukraine receives the necessary means for defense for almost six months. In this situation, only Russia wins. I am surprised that the competent authorities of Poland and other European countries either do not see or do not want to acknowledge the obvious causal links between this blockade and the interests of the Russian Federation. In simple terms, “always look for the beneficiary,” says Denys Kostrzhevskyi.
He noted that initially, the blockade began with demands to reinstate the practice of issuing permits for Ukrainian cargo carriers and to reduce their number to pre-war levels. Subsequently, farmers joined the protests, demanding restrictions on the export of agricultural products from Ukraine to Poland. Now, Polish businesses associated with transportation are in favor of ending this blockade due to the losses it causes their companies, leading to bankruptcy, employee layoffs, and the closure of enterprises.
“It is absolutely clear here that the economic reasons declared by the organizers of the blockade are far-fetched. In any case, they can and should be solved by economic methods. Any economic losses are easily and quickly compensated by import or transit duties. If this economic mechanism is not implemented, it becomes evident that the blockade of the Ukrainian border is organized not for the stated reasons, but rather because the blockade itself is the objective. In my opinion, the quickest and most straightforward solution to lifting the blockade of the Ukrainian borders is to expose and prosecute the organizers of this blockade,” said Kostrzhevskyi.
In pursuit of their goals, some Polish protesters are simultaneously undermining the businesses of their fellow entrepreneurs. Companies associated with transportation are forced to lay off employees and close because many of them go bankrupt due to market losses. Additionally, Polish exporters and importers are missing out on opportunities to sell goods in Ukraine, and the role of the transit hub has now shifted to Romania.
“Meanwhile, the import of agricultural products from Russia and Belarus to Europe continues, despite the EU’s efforts to find ways to limit it. However, Polish farmers do not block these supplies, which looks rather strange,” he said.
Let us remind you that recently, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called on Polish farmers to stop blocking the border with Ukraine, emphasizing that Ukraine is in an extremely difficult situation.
