Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, following the negotiations with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on the unblocking of the Ukrainian-Polish border, said that progress was made.
Shmyhal said this during a joint statement with Tusk in Warsaw following intergovernmental consultations, Ukrainian News Agency reports.
"Today I can say that we definitely have progress on lifting the blockade, but the main thing is on solving all the critical issues that lead to such blockades. Our plan is being implemented. Not as fast as we would like, but we definitely have positive trends and definitely positive dynamics. It is important to maintain this dynamic and move on," he said.
Shmyhal stressed that the blockade of the Ukrainian border by some Polish groups harms the economy of Ukraine, Poland and the European Union as a whole.
He noted that the governments of Ukraine and Poland have a common understanding that the border issue needs to be resolved in the complex. According to him, Ukraine proposed certain steps that were discussed today together with the Polish government.
"I believe we are working very effectively and optimistically on this," Shmyhal said.
In particular, he noted that Ukraine made a certain compromise, agreeing to certain restrictions.
So today Ukrainian grain does not enter the Polish market, the Ukrainian government introduced a procedure for verification of four grain crops: corn, rapeseed, sunflower and wheat. Without a license, the export of these categories does not occur, permits will be issued only in agreement with the Polish government.
Ukraine also appealed to the European Commission with a proposal to conduct emergency screening, that is, analysis of legislation in agricultural policy and transport.
"We support the decision of the European Commission, on the priority screening of the section, which concerns agrarian policy, we expect that this will happen at the end of April and it will really extremely open up all the statistics and give us very truthful data," Shmyhal said.
He also noted that Ukraine insists on banning russian and belarusian agricultural exports to the EU and invited Poland to join forces to fulfill this task. The European Commission proposed to introduce a 50% increase in duties on agro-customs from russia and belarus, in particular on grain imports. According to Shmyhal, the new rates should actually stop this trade. Ukraine expects this decision to be adopted by the EU Council in the near future.
Shmyhal also noted that Ukraine has preliminary agreements with Poland and the EU and a draft agreement on the need to introduce joint control at border checkpoints and exchange of customs information, this decision is pending approval from the European Commission.
In addition, Shmyhal noted that Ukraine and Poland plan to build new checkpoints on the border and expand the capabilities of existing points.
Ukraine also initiated the creation of an anti-crisis headquarters on export and transit of Ukrainian agrarian products.
Shmyhal also said that Ukraine is asking Poland to ensure a free passage through the border not only of ammunition and humanitarian assistance, but also of fuel.
"This is important, because it directly concerns national security issues," he said.
He also noted positively that Poland has introduced checkpoints at the border and adjacent routes to the list of critical infrastructure facilities and added that Ukraine has done the same.
Shmyhal stressed that Ukraine and Poland are strategic allies, and strategic relations involve mutual trust, openness, the ability to dialogue and compromise.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on Thursday, March 28, Shmyhal is on a visit to Poland for negotiations on weapons, the situation at the border, the development of trade and infrastructure.
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