Ukraine has simplified grain transit to one of the largest ports in the Baltic Sea
- Author:
- Sofiia Telishevska
- Date:
Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania agreed on a "green corridor" for the transit of Ukrainian grain through Poland to the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda, which is one of the largest on the Baltic Sea.
This was reported by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food.
Minister Mykola Solsky, after negotiations with his Polish and Lithuanian colleagues Robert Telus and Kyastutis Navickas, said that Ukraine proposed to transfer veterinary, sanitary and phytosanitary control of agricultural cargo from the Ukrainian-Polish border to the Lithuanian port.
Telus and Naviskas confirmed that their governments support such a control mechanism and consider it a constructive step.
After the negotiations, the Polish minister said that checks of transit grain have been transferred to Klaipeda since October 4.
"As we said earlier, Ukrainian grain will not reach Poland," he noted.
- Tensions between Poland and Ukraine increased after Warsaw extended the ban on the import of Ukrainian agricultural products, although the European Union lifted the restrictions on September 15.
- In addition to Poland, Slovakia and Hungary unilaterally extended the embargo on Ukrainian grain. Because of this, Ukraine is preparing a claim to arbitration at the World Trade Organization.
- On September 19, at the request of the European Commission, Ukraine changed the rules of grain export, and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal offered a compromise to Poland and Hungary.
- On September 21, the Minister of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine agreed with his Polish colleague to find a solution regarding the import of grain that takes into account the interests of both countries. On the same day, the Ukrainian side agreed with Slovakia on the grain trade system.