Zelensky instructs government to resolve border blockade, addresses Tusk and Duda

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has instructed government officials to come to the border with Poland by February 24 to resolve the issue of blockade.

He has also invited Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President of Poland Andrzej Duda to come to the border and support this dialogue. Zelensky stated this in his urgent video address, Ukrinform reports, referring to the president’s press service.

“I have instructed our government to come to the border between our countries in the near future, by February 24. The Prime Minister of Ukraine, our entire government, from logistics to the agricultural sector, and, of course, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, as this blockade on the border, unfortunately, increases the threat to the weapons supply to our guys at the front. And I urge you, Donald, Mr. Prime Minister, to come to the border as well. And Andrzej, Mr. President, I urge you to support this dialogue. This is national security. We must not delay this. The next few days give us a chance to do so,” Zelensky said.

Zelensky has also emphasized that he is personally ready to come to the border with the Ukrainian government.

“And I want to address the European Commission now: we must preserve unity in Europe. This is the EU's fundamental interest. That is why Ukraine urges the European Commission to have its representative involved in this meeting – for the sake of common interests and an end to political manipulation,” he said.

 “We have had enough of Moscow's presence in our lands. We have had enough of misunderstandings. We should not humiliate each other, we should not humiliate either Ukrainian or Polish farmers. We need unity. We need solutions – between us, Ukraine and Poland, and at the level of the whole of Europe,” the President noted.

He stressed that it is possible to do everything to turn this disagreeable page and make the next chapter of bilateral relations one of cooperation and mutual strength again.

As reported by Ukrinform, protesting Polish farmers are still limiting the movement of trucks on the roads leading through the checkpoints Dorohusk - Yahodyn, Hrebenne - Rava-Ruska, Medyka - Sheghini, Zosin - Ustyluh, Uhryniv-Dołhobyczow, and Korczova-Krakivets on the border of Ukraine and Poland. At the Yahodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint, truck traffic in both directions has been completely blocked by the farmers, and even perishable, dangerous, and humanitarian goods are not being allowed through.