Polish truck drivers protest: Ukraine opens a border crossing point

Ukraine announced on Sunday the opening of a crossing point on the border with Poland, two days after a meeting in Kiev between Volodymyr Zelensky and the new head of Polish diplomacy to find a solution.

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The Ukrainian Border Guard announced in a statement via the Telegram application, “The movement of trucks has resumed: Polish farmers have completed the siege in front of the Medica checkpoint” (south).

He added that the blockade “ended at 9:30 am (7:30 GMT) and the registration and passage of trucks entering Ukraine is being carried out as usual.”

Polish truck drivers, denouncing “unfair competition” from their Ukrainian colleagues, have been closing the border between the two countries since the beginning of November, creating endless queues.

Most importantly, they demand the re-establishment of the European licensing system for Ukrainian transport companies sending trucks to Poland. However, the EU abandoned this regime to support Kiev after the Russian invasion began in February 2022, and has since extended this exemption until June 2024.

For its part, Ukraine relies heavily on land transport with European Union member Poland for its exports and imports, especially since the Russian invasion almost two years ago.

On Friday, the new head of Polish diplomacy, Radoslaw Sikorski, met in Kiev with Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov, his foreign ministry counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, and President Volodymyr Zelensky, to discuss the issue that is straining relations between the two countries. Neighbour.

“We must find solutions,” Kuleba insisted to the press, deeming the situation “unacceptable,” while Mr. Kubrakov told him, “We hope to reach a common position this week.”

New Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk promised to find a solution with his country's disgruntled airlines.

Poland is one of Ukraine's main supporters in Europe, but relations between these two neighboring countries have been poisoned in recent months amid trade disputes.