The challenge of Ukrainian grain shipments and transport pressures was discussed to ensure it does not obscure Poland’s solidarity with Kiev, as Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated during the Munich Security Conference on Sunday.
Sikorski on farmer and transporter protests
Poland stands among the leading supporters of Ukraine, yet farmers and transport operators are bearing the sharpest costs of European solidarity, the minister noted during a panel with Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna.
That is why the situation must be resolved so that the broader picture of Polish support remains clear and unclouded,
he said.
We have discussed this at length, and one point is certain: a resolution is needed,
the Deputy Prime Minister added.
Sikorski stressed that the issue is structural and that Ukraine was admitted to the internal market under the pressure of events, without proper conditionality or transition periods, though such arrangements would have benefited from negotiation.
There is a potential path forward: Ukraine achieving a victory in the Black Sea
he indicated, referring to the transport corridor Ukraine established despite the Russian blockade of the Black Sea.
If Ukraine regains control of the western Black Sea, it would help address this challenge as well
he assessed.
The Ukrainian perspective
As Stefanishyna explained, both sides have legitimate interests, but Ukraine has helped by securing the Black Sea corridor and by managing exports to neighboring countries.
We must find a resolution, and everyone remains determined
she stated.
Sikorski noted there is a noble competition within the EU over which country lends the most support to Ukraine, and Poland, having taken in more than a million Ukrainian refugees and provided military and financial backing, aims to be the strongest partner.
Our German allies emphasize their high absolute spending, while Baltic nations point to the highest per-capita military support. When the total is tallied—refugee aid, military support, and financial assistance—it appears Poland contributes the most,
the minister argued.
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Debate on abandoning the unanimity rule
Addressing possible reforms to EU decision-making, the head of the Foreign Ministry stated that the veto would remain on enlargement, but discussions continue about where the unanimity principle could be dropped.
We are considering where unanimity makes sense and where it could be replaced
he declared.
He added that before the Lisbon Treaty, the Nice system existed, under which Poland had one vote less than France or Germany. Today there is a double majority, which means France and Germany together could easily form a blocking minority.
The absence of unanimity does not automatically equate to the current double majority; for example, a single member could have one vote, or large countries might have more votes while smaller ones have fewer. The European Parliament has proposed a 4/5 majority rule. A fair system is needed that reflects European wishes and does not favor any member country.
He also urged Georgian authorities, through President Salome Zurabishvili, to pursue fair treatment and contribute to the release of former President Mikheil Saakashvili, who remains imprisoned. Saakashvili contends he is a political victim of his opponents from the Georgian Dream party, alleging political retribution.
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wkt/PAP
Source: wPolityce