Polish farmers suspend blockade of Ukraine border
Al Jazeera
Polish farmers end blockade at the Ukraine border, after months of protests over cheap imports.
Polish farmers have called off their protest at the last border crossing with Ukraine, lifting a blockade that has dragged on for months, soured bilateral relations and buffeted Ukraine’s trade.
Truckers in Poland began blocking the border late last autumn, angered by what they said was Ukraine’s use of a wartime easing of border restrictions to win market share.
Farmers later joined their ranks, complaining about cheap Ukrainian food imports.
Polish farmers ended their blockade of the Rava-Ruska crossing on Monday morning, Ukraine’s border guard spokesman said, following months of diplomacy by Kyiv.
“Fortunately, we have all directions on the border with Poland unblocked,” said Andriy Demchenko, the border official, adding that trucks were crossing in both directions. Poland’s border guard spokesman confirmed that comment.