In recent days, tension at the border between Poland and Ukraine has reached a new peak due to ongoing protests by Polish farmers. The protesters continue to block the passage of freight transport through the Ukrainian border, including military equipment, as well as opening wagons and dumping grain on the railway tracks. The farmers' actions have not been limited to the Ukrainian border — tractors with protest banners can be seen all over Poland. Their demands remain the same — the farmers are unhappy with the EU's agricultural policy and are calling for a complete ban on the import of Ukrainian grain into Poland, arguing they cannot withstand the competition. The situation has escalated to the point that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recorded a video address to the Polish farmers and proposed a meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk at the border.
«Enough of Moscow on our lands. Enough misunderstandings. We cannot demean each other, we cannot demean neither Ukrainian nor Polish farmers. We need unity,» Zelensky emphasized in the video address.
Today, one of the farmers, expressing his dissatisfaction, hung a banner on his tractor calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to restore order in Ukraine, Brussels, and Poland. The incident occurred at a demonstration near the border with the Czech Republic. The farmer's action sparked a new wave of outrage, considering that Poland is one of Ukraine's key supporters in its fight against Russian aggression. Moreover, public expression of support for a totalitarian regime is criminally punishable in Poland. The farmer was immediately detained by the Polish police, and his action was decisively condemned by the Polish authorities.
The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern about the appearance of «anti-Ukrainian slogans and slogans praising Vladimir Putin and the war he is waging» at the protests:
«According to our assessments, the anti-Ukrainian slogans that have appeared during the recent farmer blockades are an attempt to take control of the protest movement by groups that may be under the influence of Russian intelligence services,» stated the Polish MFA.
Ukraine's Minister of Economy, Yulia Svyrydenko, emphasized the need for a strong reaction to the actions of the protesters, which could undermine economic and diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Poland.
Polish President Andrzej Duda, in turn, informed Ukrainian media that the Polish government is negotiating with farmers and trade unions and hopes that the issue will be resolved through negotiations.
