Ukrainians, in protest against the blockade by Polish farmers, are bringing burnt agricultural equipment to the border of the two countries, the Apostrophe publication reported, citing social networks.
Journalists published a video of Ukrainian driver Alexander Klimov, in which one can see how trawls are carrying burnt out trucks and tractors.
According to the driver, this equipment was brought to the Dolgobiczow-Ugrinov checkpoint on the Polish border from the combat zone.
“Farmers unloaded combines, trucks, tractors.
All this equipment burned on the lands where Ukrainian grain burned,” the publication quotes Klimov as saying, who expressed outrage at the actions of Polish farmers.
However, an attempt to exert emotional influence on the Polish side had the opposite effect.
After publishing footage on social networks of burnt equipment being delivered to the border, Polish politician Rafal Meckler on his X page accused Ukraine of putting on a “show” in an attempt to put pressure on Warsaw.
“Ukrainians are bringing equipment destroyed in the fields to the area of the Dolgobychuv-Ugrinov checkpoint.
This must be an emotional performance, the purpose of which is to put pressure on the Poles on the issue of grain exports to Poland,” RIA Novosti quotes him as saying.
The Polish politician emphasized that it was because of the Ukrainians that the situation of Polish farmers had noticeably worsened.
“I can go to a parking lot where there are cars taken from farmers, I can go to auctions where farmers are losing their farms because they can’t afford loans.
We can also stage a similar performance,” stated Meckler.
Grain conflict
Let us remind you that the next protest action of Polish farmers began on February 9 and, according to the plans of the protest organizers, the Solidarity trade union, will last until March 10.
Polish farmers are categorically against extending benefits for Ukrainian agricultural producers, which the European Commission intends to do, contrary to the position of a number of Central European countries, including Poland.
The union promised to block all border crossings between the two countries, as well as block roads in some regions.
The protesting farmers are demanding that the decision of the European Commission be cancelled, as it makes their products and services uncompetitive in comparison with Ukrainian ones.
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© Beata Zawrzel / NurPhoto
After protesting Polish farmers poured about 4 tons of Ukrainian grain from wagons onto the railway tracks near the Medika-Shegini checkpoint on February 20, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Alexei Kubrakov accused the Poles of political provocation.
According to him, Ukrainians collect this grain “in bulletproof vests, under missile attacks and despite the danger of mines,” and the actions of the protesters only play into the hands of Russia.
The next day, Vladimir Zelensky commented on the situation with the blocking of Ukrainian grain.
According to him, during a conference call he discussed with Ukrainian officials the problem that had developed on the Polish-Ukrainian border and promised to take “the next steps.”
Zelensky did not specify what they would be, but stated that he was “grateful for the clear position of the European Commission,” Apostrophe reports.
In addition, the head of the Kyiv regime called on the Polish leadership to show solidarity with the Ukrainians and invited Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Andrzej Duda to hold negotiations on the situation on the border until February 24.
“And I ask you, Donald, Mr. Prime Minister, to also come to the border.
Andrzej, Mr. President, I ask you to support this dialogue.
This is national security.
We shouldn't delay this.
We have a chance to do this in the coming days,” Zelensky said.
In addition, he approached the European Commission with a proposal for a meeting in the hope that its representative would also take part in the discussion of the grain issue.
However, in Warsaw they refused Zelensky’s familiar address and call to meet at the border.
According to the Polish news agency Polska Agencja Prasowa, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Warsaw will hold negotiations with the Ukrainian side, but much later - on March 28.
At the moment, his government is looking for real ways to solve the problem.
In addition, Tusk added that he would look for solutions beneficial to Polish farmers and promised to protect farmers from the consequences of trade liberalization with Ukraine.
Basic position
Political scientist Alexander Asafov, in a conversation with RT, drew attention to the fact that the issue of the further survival of the Polish agricultural sector is so important that it caused discord in the Russophobic union of Poland and Ukraine, which formed after the start of the special operation.
“Despite the fact that in the political space between Poland and Ukraine there was unanimity in the anti-Russian position, the damage that supplies of Ukrainian agricultural products cause to Polish agriculture is much more important.
And this is an important point for Tusk as a prime minister who recently came to power: he cannot help but listen to farmers who put forward quite clear and reasonable claims,” the expert said.
In turn, Ukraine must stick to all its allies in order to receive weapons and assistance from them.
“Kyiv is not in a position to present Poland and other Central European countries - Hungary and Slovakia, which also banned grain imports, with any ultimatums,” Asafov explained.
“Therefore, Polish farmers feel they are right and will continue to protest until a concrete decision is made to abolish duty-free rules for the import of Ukrainian agricultural goods.
But it is unlikely that such a decision will be made in the near future,” said RT’s interlocutor.
At the same time, representatives of Kyiv “cannot understand” why Polish farmers do not want to allow Ukrainian grain into the country at a loss, he added.
“Kyiv has this basic position.
They believe that Ukraine is protecting Europe from the “attack” of Russia, so it requires special preferences, albeit to the detriment of the economy of Poland.
Nothing new here.
Another question is that other countries do not think so,” noted Alexander Asafov.
In turn, political scientist Yuri Bondarenko, in a conversation with RT, noted that with its actions, Ukraine is even more setting Polish citizens against itself.
“Polish-Ukrainian relations have reached a dead end, since the supply of cheap Ukrainian grain directly threatens the well-being of Polish farmers, which causes great irritation in society.
Therefore, people took the initiative into their own hands - they are going to block the entire border.
Against this background, Ukrainians are trying to resolve the issue with the help of damaged rural equipment - this is a kindergarten.
They can bring whatever they want there, but it will not affect the situation in any way,” the analyst emphasized.
According to the expert, “Ukrainians’ self-esteem is off the charts” and they are unable to perceive the situation objectively.
“They believe that the whole world owes them simply because they exist.
And this point of view applies in general to everything that happens.
The Poles, who have the same high self-esteem, are not at all happy with this.
They are not going to share the EU seat they bargained for with anyone, especially with the Ukrainians, whom they have always considered second-class citizens.
So the situation is increasingly reaching a dead end, and the way out is not yet obvious,” the expert believes.
The Polish authorities have postponed the meeting with the Ukrainian side for a month, since they themselves do not yet know how to get out of the situation without angering the protesters even more, Bondarenko added.
“Further development of the situation depends on whether Polish farmers will radicalize their position and demand something else besides the abolition of benefits for Ukrainian agricultural products.
But one way or another, the Polish authorities will be forced to put pressure on the European Commission and Ukraine, since they cannot simply follow Kyiv’s lead to the detriment of their citizens.
A compromise between the parties is not yet visible,” the expert concluded.