Polish truck drivers, who denounce “unfair competition” from their Ukrainian colleagues, have been blocking the border between the two countries since the beginning of November.
Ukraine announced on Sunday the unblocking of a crossing point on the border with Poland, two days after a meeting in Kyiv between Volodymyr Zelensky and the new head of Polish diplomacy to find a solution.
“Truck traffic has resumed: Polish farmers complete the blockade in front of the Medyka checkpoint” (south), Ukrainian border guards announced in a statement on Telegram.
The blocking “ended at 9:30 a.m.” (7:30 GMT) and “registration and passage of trucks entering Ukraine are carried out as usual.”
Polish truck drivers, who denounce “unfair competition” of their Ukrainian colleagues, have been blocking the border between the two countries since the beginning of November, creating endless queues.
Above all, they demand the reestablishment of a European licensing system for Ukrainian transport companies sending trucks to Poland. However, the EU renounced this system to support Kyiv after the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022 and has since extended this exemption until June 2024.
For its part, Ukraine relies heavily on road transport with European Union member Poland for its exports and imports, particularly since the Russian invasion almost two years ago.
On Friday, the new head of Polish diplomacy, Radoslaw Sikorski, met in Kyiv with the Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure, Oleksandr Koubrakov, as well as his Foreign Affairs counterpart, Dmytro Kouleba, and President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the subject which strains the relations between the two neighbors.
“We have to find solutions”Mr. Kouleba insisted to the press, judging the situation “unacceptable”while Mr. Koubrakov told him “hope to find a common position this week”.
The new Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, promised to find a solution with disgruntled carriers in his country.
Poland is one of Ukraine’s main supporters in Europe, but relations between these two neighboring states have been poisoned in recent months amid trade disputes.
