Because of angry farmers

Poland wants to strengthen border protection with Ukraine

The farmers' protests are directed against EU agricultural policy, but also against the import of cheap agricultural products from Ukraine.(Bild: AP)

The grain dispute between Ukraine and Poland has escalated further in recent days. Angry Polish farmers have intensified their protests at the border with the neighboring state. The government in Warsaw now wants to strengthen the protection of border crossings.

"We will add the border crossings with Ukraine and certain road and rail sections to the list of critical infrastructure," announced Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw on Thursday. This should happen within the next few hours.

The practical consequence of this will be that traffic at the border will be able to flow without delays and obstructions, said Tusk. The protests by Polish farmers are directed against EU agricultural policy, but also against the import of cheap agricultural products from Ukraine.

Nationwide protests
On Tuesday, farmers blocked transport hubs across the country and unloaded grain from Ukrainian freight wagons at the Medyka border crossing.

Polish farmers have repeatedly blocked important traffic arteries over the past few days.(Bild: AFP)

Tusk sharply criticized the fact that anti-Ukrainian and pro-Russian slogans had appeared during the farmers' protests. "We cannot allow those who actively serve Putin's propaganda to exploit the farmers' protests on the Ukrainian border. Any such support for Putin's narrative is treason." At a demonstration in Silesia on Tuesday, a placard was hung on a tractor with the inscription: "Putin, clean up Ukraine, Brussels and our rulers".

Tusk wants to reach a compromise
Poland is one of the closest political and military allies of Ukraine, which is under attack from Russia. The EU and NATO member state has taken in around one million refugees from there.

Tusk emphasized that his government is taking the farmers' concerns seriously and is trying to find a compromise that will satisfy the farmers. However, Tusk did not accept the offer made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, who had proposed government talks at one of the blocked border crossings on Wednesday.

"Hard work" instead of "symbolism"
On a technical level, these talks were ongoing and "symbolism" was not necessary. "We need concrete offers for our market and agriculture. This does not require a declaration of goodwill, but hard work," said Tusk. He added that the next meeting with his Ukrainian colleague Denys Shmyhal would take place on March 28.