I regret the speech of the Ukrainian Minister of Agriculture in Brussels. Previously, it seemed that Ukraine understood our problem with grain imports, Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Robert Telus said in the PAP Studio on Friday.
Ukraine’s position
On Thursday, the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council (Agrifish) met, which discussed, among other things, the issue of extending the import ban on Ukrainian agricultural products to 5 member states. Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski reiterated his support for extending the EU ban on the import of wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower from Ukraine to five EU countries. Ukraine’s Agriculture Minister Mykola Solski called for the ban to be lifted after June 5.
There are no perfect solutions, but the decision to keep this ban is the worst possible decision, so we have to look for other options. The ban will only lead to more problems as the Russians will try to use it for their own interests to provoke a weakening of unity in Europe. This cannot be allowed. Let’s talk about this as honestly as possible
Solski said in Brussels.
“It seemed that Ukraine understood our problem”
Agriculture Minister Robert Telus, asked in the PAP Studio on Friday about his Ukrainian counterpart’s position, replied that he regretted the speech and rated it “far-reaching”.
Earlier we spoke, we had several meetings both in Poland and at the border. Ukraine seemed to understand our problem
Telus said.
He noted that the reason for such an attitude is not clear to him.
I don’t quite understand why this is happening. I suspect that there are certain forces in Ukraine that decide on this kind of action, with which I disagree and that harm Ukrainians
Telus said.
When asked if the forces he was talking about were internal or external, he stated that he believed this was inspired by the EU.
I think this is EU policy again but in fact it serves (driving) a wedge between Poland and Ukraine or Ukraine and the EU Putin at the moment and we have to approach it with caution so despite this statement I will want the minister meeting of Agriculture of Ukraine
– stressed the head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The guest from the PAP Studio recalled that it was Poland that helped Ukarana the most during the war and today “all Polish society wants to help Ukraine”.
If we (…) harm each other commercially and economically, society and farmers will begin to wonder why we need this help, since Ukraine does not want to cooperate with us
Telus said.
On the basis of the agreement reached with the European Commission at the end of April this year, Poland, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Hungary have lifted the import blockade of agri-food products from Ukraine. Instead, a temporary (until 5 June with possibility of extension) EU import ban on five so-called frontline countries – Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria – four grains from Ukraine: wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower. These products can still pass through five Member States under the common transit procedure or go to a country or territory outside the EU.
Poland and other frontline countries believe the EU ban should be extended. Ukraine protests against this. On Thursday, President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke about this with the President of the European Commission. Ursula von der Leyen is also in favor of lifting the ban.
kk/PAP
Source: wPolityce