Ukraine and Poland are strategic allies. It is crucial for Ukraine to maintain a partnership with a country that is strategically important in all dimensions, including European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
The normalization of Polish-Ukrainian relations serves the interests of Poland itself, which is why the Poles have actively supported Ukraine since its early years of independence.
It should be noted that the primary cause of the current public conflict between these friendly nations is a conflict of interests in the grain market. This concerns Ukraine's relations not only with Poland but also with some other Eastern European countries with which Ukraine competes in the agricultural sphere. Since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in Ukraine and the maritime blockade of its ports by Russia, the European Union lifted restrictions on the export of Ukrainian agricultural products to EU countries. This was a gesture of political solidarity and economic support for Ukraine, which had become a victim of Russian aggression and found itself in a very challenging economic situation. However, it later emerged that relatively inexpensive Ukrainian grain (compared to EU producer prices) posed significant competition to local farmers and substantially reduced prices in the grain market of EU countries. This fact sparked a vigorous protest reaction from the farming communities of several Eastern European countries and led to the imposition of restrictive measures on the export of Ukrainian grain to some EU countries, including Poland.
On September 21, the Minister of Agricultural Policy and Food of Ukraine, Nikolay Solskiy, had a phone conversation with his Polish counterpart, Robert Telus, during which the parties agreed to find a joint solution to the contentious situation regarding grain exports. The press service of the Ministry of Agricultural Policy of Ukraine reported that the parties confirmed their close and constructive relations, which have been demonstrated on numerous occasions in the past, and agreed to work out a solution for export-related issues in the near future. The next round of negotiations will take place shortly. During this meeting, representatives of Ukraine and Poland will discuss the list of observations and questions related to the plan proposed by Ukraine.
It is evident that the fact of public political confrontation is working against the strategic interests of both Poland and Ukraine, which is undoubtedly welcomed in Moscow. It is necessary to resolve the current tension and normalize the situation in the relations between the countries as quickly as possible. The parties need to immediately cease public airing of grievances at the official level. The Ukrainian side has already expressed its principled and critical position on the substance of the issue that has caused the current standoff. That should be sufficient for now. It is important to put an end to this emotional debate and address future issues through the search for mutually acceptable solutions, rather than through mutual public accusations.
Source: oglavnom.top
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