Poland must address border blockade issue - Minister Koval

Warsaw needs to resolve the ongoing problem of periodic border blockades by Polish farmers and the threat of future disruptions.

Ukrainian Agrarian Policy and Food Minister Vitalii Koval said this in an interview with Ukrinform.

"Our stance on the border blockade is clear and unequivocal. The protesters' recent demands did not involve Ukraine at all. These are internal issues for Poland and the EU, with no claims against Ukraine. Therefore, we reiterate that any obstruction to the movement of food products is unacceptable because it threatens food security. The Polish side must address this issue," Koval said.

He emphasized the importance of ensuring Ukrainian-Polish cooperation remains free from external interference or blackmail.

"We sometimes observe external influences in various processes happening across Europe. It is crucial for our adversaries to damage our relationship and hinder normal communication," the minister said.

Koval stressed the significance of direct meetings with his Polish counterpart to discuss specific issues in detail.

Earlier reports said that Polish farmers are threatening to block all checkpoints on the Polish-Ukrainian border after December 10 unless the country's government meets their demands.

Polish Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Czeslaw Siekeirski told Ukrinform that Polish authorities are doing everything possible to reach an agreement with local farmers to prevent future blockades of the Polish-Ukrainian border.