Polish Agriculture Minister Telyus criticized Kiev’s stance on grain imports

MOSCOW, June 5 – RIA Novosti. Polish Minister of Agriculture Robert Telyus criticized Ukrainian Minister of Agricultural Policy Mykola Solsky for calling on the EU to lift the ban on imports of Ukrainian agricultural products, transmits RMF24.

Earlier, Solsky described a possible extension of the ban as the “worst possible solution” that would result in a “weakening of unity in Europe”.

Telyus expressed regret over the PAP agency’s broadcast for the Ukrainian minister’s words, saying that Kiev did not understand Warsaw’s stance on imports, and described his colleague’s statement as “wide-ranging”.

“I don’t fully understand why this is happening. I suspect that there are certain forces in Ukraine that decide such actions that I do not participate in and that harm Ukrainians,” Telyus said.

According to him, it is claimed that dividing Ukraine and Poland serves Russia’s interests, and therefore this issue should be approached with caution. The minister also added that despite Solsky’s statement, he wanted to meet with her.

Poland and several other Eastern European countries suspended imports of Ukrainian agricultural products that were delivered duty-free to the European market this spring, amid protests from local farmers. As a result, the situation was resolved by a separate agreement with the European Commission, where the countries lifted the blockade on imports of agricultural products from Ukraine.

Instead, a temporary EU ban was introduced (with a possibility of extension until 5 June) on imports of wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower to the five countries bordering Ukraine (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria). These products may continue to transit through these states. Poland and other countries believe the ban should be extended, but Ukraine opposes it.