Latvia ready to join negotiations on unblocking border between Ukraine, Poland

26.11.2023 09:33

Ukrinform

During a phone call with the Minister of European Affairs in the Government of Poland, Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Krišjānis Kariņš, called on him to find a way out of the situation that has developed on the border with Ukraine due to the protest of Polish carriers, and expressed his readiness to help in the issue.

This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Ukrinform saw.

"The Latvian Foreign Minister conveyed Latvia’s readiness to be involved and provide assistance in seeking solutions to the situation," the message reads.

The ministers of the two countries also discussed the upcoming summit of the European Council, where issues related to the opening of negotiations with Ukraine on joining the EU should be considered.

Karins reaffirmed Latvia's strong support for Ukraine. According to him, Ukraine belongs to Europe, therefore Latvia advocates the start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU as early as this year.

The interlocutors also discussed the cooperation between Latvia and Poland within the EU and the future development of the EU.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Polish carriers started an indefinite protest on November 6. Among the main demands is the return of the practice of permits for Ukrainian freight carriers, canceled by the agreement with the European Union until June 30, 2024. The protesters want the agreement to be terminated and the permits for border crossing to be reinstated from January 1. The strike led to a complete traffic halt at three border checkpoints between Poland and Ukraine: Dorohusk - Yahodyn, Korczowa – Krakivets, and Grebenne - Rava-Ruska. At the border, Ukrainian trucks formed huge queues that stretch several tens of kilometers long. Now the waiting time reaches up to 10 days.

On November 23, Polish farmers joined the protest of local transporters and, putting forward their demands, started a blockade of freight traffic at the "Medyka - Shegyny" checkpoint near Przemyśl.

In Poland, a 56-year-old Ukrainian driver died in a parking lot near Korczowa, while waiting to cross the blocked border.

Earlier, on November 11, a 54-year-old Ukrainian truck driver died in another Polish parking lot near the Dorohusk-Yahodyn checkpoint.

Ukraine addressed an official note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland with a demand to urgently unblock the border, as the blockade poses real threats to people's lives and health.