Zelenskyy: Attempts of trade separatism in Europe weaken the continent

In his address to EU leaders, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for an end to trade pressures on Ukraine.

Source: Zelenskyy in his address to the participants of the EU summit, as reported by European Pravda

Quote: "We in Ukraine cannot accept the fact that the background for Russian terror is the pressure on our country in trade issues," Zelenskyy said.

Details: He emphasised that the issue of trade, particularly the continuation of the trade liberalisation regime with the European Union, is no longer just about specific goods but also about Ukraine's ability to withstand Russian aggression.

"Any loss in trade is a loss of a resource that stops Russia," the president said.

He noted that Europe will only benefit from cooperation with Ukraine and from Ukrainian economic opportunities that stabilise parts of the world neighbouring Europe.

"At the same time we see that, unfortunately, Russian access to the European agricultural market is still unrestricted. And when Ukrainian grain is thrown on the roads or railway tracks, Russian products are still being transported to Europe, as well as goods from Putin’s controlled Belarus. This is not fair," Zelenskyy said.

"It is even more unfair when someone tries to break down systematic trade solutions that have been in place for years and work for the strength of the whole Europe. Attempts of trade separatism within Europe weaken the entire continent," he added.

Background:

• At the end of January, the European Commission officially proposed to extend the suspension of import quotas and duties on Ukrainian exports to the EU for another year while including safety measures for agricultural products, as demanded by several EU countries.
• However, this proposal did not satisfy farmers in EU countries bordering Ukraine, prompting protests, particularly in Poland.

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