Ambassador: Ukraine demands swift action from Poland over ongoing border crossing blockade

Ukraine’s Ambassador to Poland Vasyl Bodnar has said that Kyiv is calling on Warsaw to swiftly address the ongoing blockade of cargo traffic at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk border crossing, which has been caused by Polish hauliers protesting at the site.

Bodnar emphasised the importance of direct action from the Polish government to resolve the situation, Caliber.Az reports via Ukrainian media.

"We are ready to initiate various types of negotiations and consultations, but we believe that the Polish government should take direct measures to communicate with the protesters, as their demands—although related to the Poland-Ukraine relations—are being addressed to the Polish government," Bodnar said.

Ambassador Bodnar further indicated that Ukraine has formally approached Poland through a diplomatic note, urging a resolution of the issue. He noted that discussions are underway to explore ways of either preventing or minimizing the impact of the protest. 

Bodnar stressed, however, that the protest does not appear to be motivated by support for Ukraine or an effort to strengthen Ukrainian-Polish relations, as "this protest is certainly not aimed at supporting Ukraine." The timing of the protest, which coincides with the final stages of Poland's presidential election campaign, has raised concerns in Kyiv, with Bodnar suggesting that the protest may have underlying political motivations. He also warned that if the Polish government fails to act, the protests could spread to other border crossings, much like previous incidents. 

The blockade has caused significant disruptions, with the Yahodyn customs post processing only 8 trucks during the night from May 12 to 13, while the electronic queue for crossing was recorded at 1,391 vehicles. The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine had previously warned that the protest on the Polish side could persist for up to four months.

By Naila Huseynova