Ukraine will soon block the import of select fruits and vegetables from Poland, with the move set to take place within the next few days, said Taras Kachka, Ukraine’s deputy minister for economic development, trade and agriculture, while speaking with Poland’s Rzeczpospolita newspaper. Ukraine’s embargo will apply to Polish onions, tomatoes, cabbages, and apples.
He noted that after months of negotiations, “Ukraine has given up on an amicable resolution to the trade dispute with Poland and other regional countries.”
Consequently, the government in Kyiv has filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Kachka emphasized that Ukraine took issue not only with Poland extending its ban but also with expanding it to include flour and grain meal.
“The main reason for us is to prove that Poland has no right to introduce such measures,” the deputy minister declared. He added that Ukraine has “legitimate expectations” that the ban on grain and other products would be lifted by all EU member states. He further clarified that the complaint is not specifically against Poland but questions the legality of such trade measures.
By filing the complaint and imposing its own embargo, Kachka said, Ukraine aims to “persuade” Poland to take a “step back” and agree to a grain trade licensing mechanism that will be overseen by Ukraine. He added that Kyiv’s intent is not to worsen Polish-Ukrainian relations but to “develop civilized methods of dispute resolution.”
In response to Kachka’s announcements, Robert Telus, Poland’s minister of agriculture, said that Ukraine’s actions were a “negative surprise” to him. Telus said he believes that the Ukrainian deputy minister is persuading the Kyiv government to follow his personal opinions.
Telus admitted that Ukraine’s proposed embargo could pose “some problem, as we do sell some of these vegetables and fruits to Ukraine.”
However, he added that while Poland will manage, it remains uncertain how Ukraine will cope.
