History, the present and the current security situation leave stakeholders with no option but to work through the crisis in relations with Poland. There is no need for a war over grain, neither for Ukraine nor for Poland, stated Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine on Thursday.
The crisis is not of Ukraine’s making, yet there is a firm determination to bring it to a constructive close. Emotions are running high. By October 15, the date of Poland’s parliamentary elections, tensions may spike further. Still, the Ukrainian side plans to act in good faith, coordinating with the European Commission and signaling clearly that a practical, mutually beneficial solution is possible.
– remarked the head of Ukrainian diplomacy.
Kuleba pointed to the recent agreements on grain-related relations with Romania and Bulgaria. He argued that a civil, rule-based settlement with Bucharest and Sofia could serve as a blueprint for handling disputes with Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, emphasizing that no problem is insurmountable when approached with a cooperative mindset.
– emphasized the minister.
Ban on grain imports from Ukraine
The European Commission imposed a temporary ban on imports of wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflowers from Ukraine to Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia in early May, following agreements with those countries on Ukrainian agri-food products. The restrictions were initially set to end on June 5, then extended to mid-September. The embargo was lifted on September 15 in line with EC decisions.
On September 16, a regulation establishing an indefinite ban on Ukrainian agricultural products entered into force for Poland. Hungary and Slovakia also chose to extend their import restrictions unilaterally.
On September 18, Kyiv lodged a complaint with the World Trade Organization regarding the measures taken by Warsaw, Bratislava and Budapest.
Poland contends that Ukraine did not meet commitments made to the European Commission on grain exports. Ukraine had pledged to implement effective mechanisms to curb grain inflows and to propose legal arrangements to address the issue, but Poland maintains that those measures were not fully realized.
On September 21, Polish Agriculture Minister Robert Telus spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart Mykola Solski by phone. Telus indicated that the way to resolve the dispute should involve a solidarity corridor ensuring Ukrainian grain does not travel to Poland, and urged Kyiv to withdraw its WTO complaint.
Kułeba: Expressed sincere gratitude to Polish society and authorities for the welcome and assistance
Ukraine regards the support from Polish society and officials since the invasion as very meaningful. The foreign minister warned against misrepresentations about a supposed absence of gratitude, stating that such rumors threaten strategic stability and could affect broader security dynamics across Europe.
He stressed that gratitude has been expressed repeatedly and would be reaffirmed many more times, underscoring that the issue is not the absence of thanks but the practical steps needed to prevent grain-related frictions from escalating into wider tensions.
According to the minister, a narrative that Ukrainian ingratitude could erode trust within Polish society or spill over into broader regional security would be harmful, potentially affecting cooperation among Poles, Ukrainians and the wider European community.
The concern was framed as a call to maintain constructive dialogue and to focus on stabilizing the regional security environment for all parties involved.
tkwl/PAP
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Source: wPolityce