The Polish Foreign Ministry summoned Ukraine’s ambassador to Warsaw and delivered a stern warning regarding the potential expansion of an embargo on Ukrainian agricultural products. This move comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky seemingly accused Poland of turning “solidarity into political theatre.”
The relationship between Poland and Ukraine, which had grown remarkably close due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has recently soured over Poland’s decision, along with Slovakia and Bulgaria, to extend an embargo on certain Ukrainian agricultural products to safeguard its domestic farming sector.
This decision has irked Ukraine, and in a now-deleted post, President Zelensky expressed his concern, stating, “Alarmingly, some in Europe play out solidarity in political theatre – turning grain into a thriller,” suggesting that such actions were inadvertently aiding Moscow.
In response, the Polish Foreign Ministry announced the urgent summoning of Vasyl Zvarych, the Ukrainian ambassador to Poland. Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel Jablonski conveyed Poland’s strong protest against Zelensky’s statements at the UN General Assembly, labeling them as untrue and unjust towards Poland, which had been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since the outset of the war.
Jablonski also emphasized that pressuring Poland in multilateral forums or resorting to international tribunals was not the appropriate means to address disputes between the two countries. He asserted that the measures taken by Poland to protect its farmers were in accordance with national, EU, and international laws.
Later on, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki responded to Zelensky’s comments, hinting at the possibility of an expanded ban on Ukrainian agricultural products. Morawiecki conveyed that the welfare of Polish farmers and agriculture was of paramount importance to his government. He stated, “If further escalation occurs on the Ukrainian side, we will appropriately apply further steps within the embargo framework on our side.” Currently, the ban covers wheat, maize, sunflower, and rape seeds.
Morawiecki’s message was clear: Poland was resolute in defending its agricultural interests and was willing to take decisive action if necessary, urging other parties involved to reach an agreement or face the consequences.