Polish, Ukrainian ministers to discuss problems of Ukrainian agricultural exports on Wed

MOSCOW, Feb 21 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian and Polish agriculture ministers will hold talks on Wednesday to discuss problems stemming from Ukrainian agricultural exports to Poland, Polish Deputy Agriculture Minister Michal Kolodziejczak told the polsatnews.pl media outlet.

"The scale of the protests is not intimidating. Rather, it points to the magnitude of the problems. If everything had been fine for many years, it would not exist," Kolodziejczak said when commenting on farmers' blockade of the Ukrainian-Polish border and an incident on Tuesday when Polish farmers opened Ukrainian railway carriages to let grain spill out.

The deputy minister said he is "also feeling frustrated at what is now happening."

The Ukrainian and Polish agriculture ministers will hold talks on Wednesday morning, he said.

"Let's see how the Ukrainians behave, what policy I pursue toward exports to Poland, whether they are willing to reach an agreement," Kolodziejczak said, adding that "the ball is in Ukraine's courts." If the Polish government's ideas are not supported, Poland will introduce further restrictions, he said.

Polish Minister of Economic Development and Technology Krzysztof Hetman told Radio Zet on Tuesday that if Poland's proposals are not accepted, an embargo will be imposed on the export of all agricultural products from Ukraine, the media outlet said.

Kolodziejczak, meanwhile, acknowledged that the problems on the Polish market had been caused not only by Ukrainian agricultural imports, but also the European Commission's green policy.

"Everything began boiling today and will boil in a minute, has the Polish market been taken over by supermarkets, does the green deal exist? If someone is willing to base their policy exclusively on imports from Ukraine, it is not enough. I want to resolve this problem," he said.

The Polish government is eager to resolve the problem rather than silence the protests, the deputy minister said, accusing the current government's predecessors, i.e. the Law and Justice Party, of instigating farmers.

When commenting on an incident when striking Polish farmers blocked Ukrainian railcars and opened tem to allow grain to pour onto the tracks, as well as remarks from Ukrainian Ambassador to Poland Roman Zvarych, who said that the farmers should be ashamed of what they have done, Kolodziejczak said that the Poles are not ashamed.

"This shows the scope of resentment in Polish villages caused by the years-long poor agricultural policy. Do you think a farmer would take to the streets and would scatter grain if he had no problems and was well-to-do?" he said.

Kolodziejczak also criticized remarks from Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, who said on Monday that only 5% of Ukrainian agricultural exports are transiting the Polish border. "It is not about grain at all. Most likely, it is about politics," he said.

"This is also a move that clearly shows what Ukraine is doing today. [...] I addressed my words to President Zelensky: focus on your politics, you also have problems in your country," Kolodziejczak said, adding that "strange blackmail is starting" in relations between Poland and Ukraine.