Ukraine announced on Sunday the opening of a border crossing on its border with Poland, two days after a meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and the new head of Polish diplomacy in Kiev to find a solution.
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“Truck traffic has resumed: Polish farmers complete the blockade in front of the Medyka (South) checkpoint,” Ukrainian border guards announced in a statement on Telegram.
The blockade “ended at 9:30 a.m. (7:30 GMT) and the registration and passage of trucks into Ukraine is proceeding as usual.”
Polish truck drivers, denouncing “unfair competition” from their Ukrainian colleagues, have been blocking the border between the two countries since the beginning of November, causing endless queues.
Above all, they are calling for the reintroduction of a European licensing system for Ukrainian transport companies that send trucks to Poland. However, after the Russian invasion began in February 2022, the EU waived this system to support Kiev and has since extended this exception until June 2024.
Ukraine, for its part, relies heavily on road transport with EU member Poland for its exports and imports, especially since the Russian invasion almost two years ago.
On Friday, the new head of Polish diplomacy, Radoslaw Sikorski, met in Kiev with Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Koubrakov, as well as his Foreign Minister Dmytro Kouleba and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss the issue straining relations between the two neighbors.
“We have to find solutions,” Mr. Kouleba insisted to the press, deeming the situation “unacceptable,” while Mr. Koubrakov told him: “I hope to find a common position this week.”
New Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk promised to find a solution with disgruntled transport companies in his country.
Poland is one of Ukraine's main supporters in Europe, but relations between these two neighbors have been poisoned in recent months due to trade disputes.