Ukrainian Foreign Ministry: Border blockade by Polish protesters has no justification

MOSCOW. Feb 20 (Interfax) - The blockade of the Ukrainian-Polish border, no matter what slogans are used by the protesters, has no justification, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said.

"The border between Poland and Ukraine is also the EU border. It must not be a hostage to any political interests," Ukrainian media quoted Nikolenko as saying on social media.

The Foreign Ministry views the aggressive treatment by Polish protesters of Ukrainians and Ukrainian freight shipped across the Polish border as unacceptable, he said.

"The anti-Ukrainian slogans heard on the border confirm that those actions are politically motivated. Their goal is to provoke more tensions in bilateral relations," Nikolenko said.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has called on the Polish authorities to evaluate the protesters' actions from the legal standpoint, unblock the border, and take measures to limit unfounded anti-Ukrainian rhetoric, he said.

"It is important to maintain the level of solidarity that Ukraine and Poland have built over the past years. Ukrainians and Poles should stand up in defense of their neighborly relations and oppose any attempts to undermine mutual confidence and jeopardize the security of our countries," Nikolenko said.