Ukrainian officials reported that Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov spoke with Jacek Siewiera, the head of the National Security Agency, about the inadmissibility of blocking the border, including passenger transport, according to the ministry. Ukrainian news outlet Ukrinform noted that Ukrainian transporters planned demonstrations at three border crossings with Poland in response to a border shutdown by Polish farmers.
Kubrakov warned that a border block would have serious repercussions for both nations. He described such actions as a direct threat to Ukraine’s security and stressed that they undermine Kyiv’s ability to cooperate with neighboring states against aggression. He added that any actions or reports of harsh treatment of Ukrainians at the EU border could be exploited to inflame tension between the two countries.
The minister called on Polish colleagues to take concrete steps to prevent repeated incidents and to resolve the issue fully.
The ministry said Deputy Minister Serhiy Derkach was in contact with his Polish counterpart Paweł Gancarz. It warned that the border situation was growing increasingly tense, with several crossings on the Polish side blocked. The Jahodyn-Dorohusk crossing was the most severe, with freight traffic halted and perishable humanitarian aid and fuel unable to pass. The disruption affected Ukraine’s defense logistics as empty trucks waited to pick up essential goods but could not depart through that crossing.
Kubrakov emphasized that a circulating video showed Polish protesters stopping buses carrying passengers. He noted that roughly 3,000 people were lined up on the Polish side, blocking trucks as well.
Ukrainian protest
In response to the border block, Ukrainian transporters announced a 24-hour demonstration at three crossings with Poland. Ukrinform reported that the action would take place at Rawa Ruska-Hrebenne, Krakowiec-Korczowa, and Szeginie-Medyka, continuing until the border was opened or the protest concluded on the planned date. The Ukrainian organizers aimed to highlight the impact of the blockade on freight transport, which began in November 2023 and has caused significant financial losses for Ukrainian exporters, importers, and the broader economy, while also affecting national defense under martial law.
Volodymyr Mykhalevych, head of the International Road Carriers of Ukraine, explained that the demonstration sought to preserve orderly passage and to prevent Polish trucks from bypassing the coordinated crossing points.
Ministry figures indicated about 3,000 people were queued at the Polish border, with trucks involved in the disruption. The action was framed as a peaceful protest directed at the ongoing border congestion and its economic impact on Ukraine and cross-border trade.
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Source attribution: wPolityce