Ukrainian PM hopes for grain talks with Poland

MOSCOW. Aug 3 (Interfax) - Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal has said he hopes for talks with Poland on grain and called for preventing grain exports from Ukraine to the European Union from being blocked.

"Of course, today we are doing our best to ensure that no restrictions are maintained in the neighboring countries to Ukraine amid the termination of the grain corridor. Logistics through the EU is becoming a vital factor for us," Ukrainian media quoted Shmygal as saying at a conference of Ukrainian ambassadors in Uzhgorod on Thursday.

The prime minister addressed Ukrainian Ambassador to Poland Vasily Zvarich, noting the need to bring to the attention of Polish partners that "we do not have an objective to flood their markets and destroy their farmers."

"We have an objective to let our farmers survive, to let the Ukrainian economy survive. There is no need to set ultimatums, to block the border. We are absolutely capable of negotiations, agreements. And this is our way, there are civilized tools, and we will use them. We need to make every effort today to prevent through talks the continued blocking beyond September 15," the prime minister said.

There are already some ideas on how to negotiate with the Poles and the Romanians in order to remove this issue from the agenda, Shmygal said.