The proposed ascension of Ukraine to the European Union has been a controversial issue for more than a decade, but now disagreement within the economic bloc has risen to the surface with Poland slamming the consequences of liberalized trade for its domestic agricultural industry.
“Poland will not give its consent to the idea pushed by the European Commission to extend trade liberalization with Ukraine under the current conditions, which pose a threat to Polish farmers,” wrote Michał Kołodziejczak, the leader of the Polish farmers’ group AgroUnia, on the X social media platform (formerly Twitter).
Kołodziejczak was appointed deputy agriculture minister under the government of Donald Tusk, who began a second term as Poland’s prime minister after elections late last year. Tusk promised to “bring back Poland to Europe” after years of strained relations under the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party. But the former European Council president has made clear he’ll continue to oppose EU leadership on trade policy with Ukraine.
So-called “solidarity corridors” between the EU and Ukraine were established after the commencement of Russia’s special military operation in the Donbass in 2022. The special policy suspended customs duties and other barriers to trade with the Zelensky regime. But Poland has protested that the flooding of the EU market with Ukrainian grain, eggs, poultry, and other food products has lowered price and demand within the bloc, devastating local farmers.
Polish truckers blocked the border between Poland and Ukraine for weeks last year, protesting the knock-on effects of the trade policy on their industry. Meanwhile agriculture ministers in Hungary, Czechia, and Slovakia likewise expressed opposition to the continued trade liberalization.
Nevertheless EU leadership has signaled that it plans to continue the policy with Ukraine until 2025. “The draft EU regulation extending duty-free trade with the AU until 2025 is to be adopted by the College of Commissioners on Tuesday,” reported a Polish radio station.
European farmers have emerged as a powerful voice against government policy in recent years, with German farmers protesting recently against planned cuts in agricultural subsidies forced by the repercussions of US-led sanctions on Russia. Farmers in the Netherlands have also been protesting proposed climate policy there.
Continuing tensions with the UK’s fishing industry have emerged as a major issue after the country’s vote to leave the European Union in 2016.
Western leaders openly cheered on anti-government protesters in Ukraine leading up to the country’s so-called Euromaidan coup in 2014. At stake was whether Ukraine would move towards joining the EU or whether President Viktor Yanukovych would accept a more advantageous offer to join a Russian-led trading bloc.
Since then evidence has emerged of the United States’ role in the regime change operation in Ukraine.