Ukrainian PM offers Poland, Hungary and Slovakia a compromise on grain export

The Ukrainian government offers neighbouring countries a compromise scenario regarding grain exports.

Source: Denys Shmyhal, Prime Minister of Ukraine

Quote: "Our government offers the EU and neighbouring countries a compromise scenario. We have already presented the European Commission with an action plan to control the export of four groups of agricultural products from Ukraine," he wrote.

Shmyhal says the proposed control mechanism will help prevent market distortions in neighbouring EU member states.

"In particular, we plan to adopt a resolution under which goods exported to five neighbouring countries would have to receive verification and approval from the Ukrainian Ministry of Economy," he said.

Otherwise, Ukraine will continue to file complaints with the World Trade Organization against Poland, Hungary and Slovakia due to unilateral restrictions on the import of Ukrainian agricultural products.

Moreover, Ukraine is starting an anti-discrimination investigation against the unfriendly actions of these countries in the trade sphere based on the statistics of 2023.

"If Poland and Hungary do not agree to the measures agreed with the European Commission and do not cancel unilateral bans on our goods, we will decide to ban the import of certain categories of goods from these countries into Ukraine," Shmyhal stressed.

"Russia attacks our ports daily, destroys infrastructure, elevators, attacks agricultural businesses and mines fields. Further blocking of our agricultural exports by neighbouring countries will hit the Ukrainian economy, finances, tax revenues and jobs. Such blocking will also play into the hands of the Russian plan to stage another world food crisis," he added.

Background:

• Poland, Hungary and Slovakia staged a démarche to the European Commission due to Ukraine's submission of a claim to the WTO. In particular, three countries announced that they will not participate in the work of the Coordination Platform of the European Commission regarding Ukrainian grain.

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