Kyiv Says Awaiting Official Demands from Protesting Polish Truckers

Ukraine said Tuesday it had not received any official demands from Polish transport companies, which have blocked three major border crossings to protest what they say is unfair competition from their war-torn neighbour.

After Russia invaded Ukraine, the EU waived a system of permits for Ukrainian transport companies to enter the bloc.

Carrier companies in Poland, an EU member which borders Ukraine, said the liberalisation of the rules triggered an influx of competitors, hitting their revenue.

“As of today, official demands from Polish carriers have not been handed over to any representative of the Ukrainian side,” Ukraine’s ministry for reconstruction said.

The ministry said it understood that Polish carriers wanted to return to a system of separate permits for Ukrainian trucks, but had only gathered this “from information available in the media and social media networks.”

“In the presence of an official and reasoned position from the Polish partners, we are open to a constructive dialogue,” it added.

Apart from reinstating the EU entry permits, Polish truckers have also criticised lengthy procedures upon returning to Poland from Ukraine.

Ukraine said the protest was damaging to both countries.

Poland has been one of Ukraine’s staunchest backers in the war, providing it with weapons and welcoming refugees.

But several disputes have strained the relationships between the two neighbours in recent months, including a spat around Ukrainian grain exports.

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Duda added that the war in Ukraine needs to end, not just to ease the people’s suffering and hold Russia accountable but also to prevent these kinds of actions from becoming an example for others.