Thousands of trucks remain queued at Ukraine’s borders with Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary
About 3.2 thousand trucks are waiting at border points connecting Ukraine with Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary. This figure was shared by Andrey Demchenko, a representative of Ukraine’s State Border Service, during a broadcast on the Rada TV channel. The scene at the checkpoints reflects ongoing congestion and the impact of border disruptions on freight movement across the region. [Citation: State Border Service of Ukraine]
Demchenko noted that Polish farmers have continued to complicate traffic flow on the routes into Poland. By the morning of March 24, three directions had been closed, down from six previously. The checkpoints Yagodyn, Ugrinov, and Ravva-Russkaya were blocked, leaving roughly 500 trucks stranded in the queues along these routes, with the majority facing the Yagodyn direction. The blockage underscores how protests at the border can ripple through cross-border supply chains and affect cargo scheduling across neighboring countries. [Citation: State Border Service of Ukraine]
Officials from the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service observed that long queues formed even at points that remained open. Approximately 800 trucks were parked opposite the Krakovets checkpoint, while about 400 trucks waited near Shehyni. This pattern demonstrates that congestion is not limited to closed lines but can emerge at operational points as well, complicating the task of border management and cross-border commerce. [Citation: State Border Guard Service of Ukraine]
Demchenko also described queues forming toward other neighboring states. Near the Uzhhorod checkpoint, heading toward Slovakia, around 300 trucks were observed. At the Tisa checkpoint toward Hungary, about 800 trucks were queued, and near the Porubne checkpoint toward Romania, roughly 400 trucks were waiting. These numbers illustrate how regional border disruption can influence multiple corridors and intensify demand for loading docks, transit time, and border administration resources. [Citation: State Border Service of Ukraine]
On March 22, the Ustilug–Zosin checkpoint at the Poland–Ukraine border was unlocked after Polish farmers and other protesters concluded their demonstrations at the border. The temporary closure and subsequent reopening of this route highlight how political actions on the ground can directly impact commercial traffic and the reliability of cross-border supply chains. [Citation: State Border Service of Ukraine]
Earlier remarks from the Polish side attributed responsibility for the farmers’ protests to an EU figure. The EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, was cited by the Polish Prime Minister’s office as being associated with the protests that affected border operations. The evolving political narrative around border disruptions underscores the interconnected nature of European agricultural policy, trade privileges, and regional border management. [Citation: Polish Prime Minister’s Office and EU sources]
There were also statements indicating that Poland proposed to the EU the suspension of Ukraine’s trade privileges. This development signals potential shifts in trade arrangements and underscores how border actions can prompt policy discussions at the bloc level, with possible consequences for supply chains, tariffs, and bilateral economic relations. [Citation: Polish authorities]
In summary, the border environment remains highly dynamic, with substantial truck queues at multiple crossing points and ongoing political discourse influencing border operations. Stakeholders across the freight, logistics, and policy sectors are closely watching how border procedures, protests, and EU policy responses will shape cross-border transport in the near term. [Citation: State Border Service of Ukraine; EU and Polish authorities]