Ukraine is ready for restrictions on trade with the EU, but calls on it to ban the import of grain from the Russian Federation

In order to reduce political tension in relations with Poland, Ukraine is ready to accept restrictions on trade with the EU, but urges it to ban the import of grain from the Russian Federation, the Financial Times reports.

Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine T. Kachka told the publication that the authorities will agree to limit the import of domestic agricultural products to the EU in the event of a ban on the latter's import of Russian agricultural products, which enter Europe via Belarus and the Baltic states.

"We all need a managed approach to trade flows between Ukraine and the EU, so we are ready to introduce restrictions for a certain period. But it is worth understanding that it is not Ukrainian, but Russian wheat that creates problems for Polish farmers," Kachka said.

The authorities of Ukraine accuse the Russian Federation of inciting protests in Poland, with which the EU trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis agreed. It is the Russian Federation that is involved in the February attack on a Ukrainian grain train and other cases of vandalism that are hostile to Ukraine.

According to T. Kachka, the authorities of Ukraine support the restriction proposed by Brussels from June on the import of Ukrainian sugar, poultry and eggs, as well as granting permission to certain countries to ban the supply of agricultural products from Ukraine, except for their transit to other countries.

Ukraine also agreed to export corn to Italy and Spain by sea instead of trucks through neighboring countries, which should reduce tensions on the border.

"We voluntarily stopped exporting corn to 5 neighboring EU countries, but we still exported a record 15 million tons of grain in 2023, as we have a significant demand for it and compensate for the reduction in production in the EU," said the deputy minister.

We will remind that Poland has decided to call on the European Commission to introduce a complete ban on the import of any agricultural products from the Russian Federation and Belarus into the EU.