The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry considers restrictions on the import of Ukrainian agricultural products “unacceptable” after the European Commission (EC) reached an agreement with neighboring countries to allow the transit of Ukrainian goods.
On Friday, the EU reached an agreement with Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia, which agreed to use their territories as corridors for the export of four types of Ukrainian grains and cereals, but refused to sell these products to their countries.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said this Saturday that they had already sent notes to the Polish embassies and the European Union (EU) Delegation in Kiev in a formal protest against the situation, which they consider “categorically unacceptable.” unacceptable”.
According to Nikolenko, the restrictions imposed on Ukrainian products by a group of five European countries “do not comply with either the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement or the principles and rules of the single market.”
Therefore, the Ministry of Economy and Industry called for a “balanced solution” based on EU agreements and rules and a “spirit of solidarity” to immediately resume exports.
“This is the only way to successfully and jointly counter Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine and strengthen the EU single market, in which Ukraine will participate,” the Spanish news agency EFE said in a statement.
On Friday, the EU reached an agreement with Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia, these countries agreed to lift the ban on the import of wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower seeds from Ukraine, but on one condition: the products cannot remain in their countries, given that their farmers cannot compete on prices with Ukrainian products.
The President of Ukraine also criticized the “destructive” impact of the ban on imports of Ukrainian products in a telephone conversation with European Council President Charles Michel.
“Artificial and illegal restriction of trade with the European Union hits Ukraine, which resists Russian aggression both economically and politically,” Zelensky said, calling for a “constructive” solution in a “European spirit.”