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Polish farmers block trucks at Ukraine border crossing

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Polish farmers block trucks at Ukraine border crossing
A member of the Polish AgroUnia farmers' union spects unsold grain storns in Sedziejowo, Poland, April 17, 2023. (Photo credit: Bartek Sadowski/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Polish farmers blocked the movement of trucks from Ukraine at the Medyka-Shehyni border crossing, demanding increased support from Warsaw for the domestic agricultural sector, Ukraine's State Border Guard Service announced on June 7.

According to the State Border Guard Service, passenger cars, buses, and trucks are allowed to enter Ukraine as usual.

"We will inform you about the resumption of transit, but for now, we ask you to choose other routes to Poland," the Service wrote on Telegram.

Ukraine's  food exports to the European Union have become a thorn in Kyiv's relationship with its close neighbors against the backdrop of a long-running political conflict between these countries and the European Commission.

Cheap Ukrainian grain has been flooding the EU market since the beginning of the invasion, helped by the European Union waiving customs duties and import quotas to keep Ukraine's agricultural sector running.

This Week in Ukraine Ep. 6 – Ukrainian grain exports, and the mayhem they cause in Europe

The influx of cheaper agricultural products triggered protests among Polish farmers, leading them to attempt to block the border crossing with Ukraine in April.

On May 2, the European Commission put in place a month-long ban on wheat, maize, rapeseed, and sunflower seeds to "alleviate logistical bottlenecks" related to these goods in Poland, as well as in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia.

The ban has been extended on May 5, scheduled to expire by Sep. 15.

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Martin Fornusek

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Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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The list includes Denys Shmyhal, Ukraine's defense minister and previously the longest-serving prime minister, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, Deputy Presidential Office head and ex-commander Pavlo Palisa, and Sergiy Kyslytsya, the first deputy foreign minister and one of Ukraine's key negotiators.

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