Volodymyr Zelenskiy accuses Warsaw of ‘mockery’ as farmers blockade Ukrainian grain at border

Poland’s bitter dispute with Ukraine over farm imports has escalated as Polish farmers dumped grain from a freight train as part of nationwide protests and Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Warsaw of “mockery”.

In a video address on Monday, Ukraine’s president described the blockade by Polish farmers as absurd at a time when Russia was bombing his country. “The situation is not about grain, but rather about politics,” he said, after a visit to the frontline town of Kupiansk.

He added: “Near Kupiansk, not far from the Russian border where enemy artillery is constantly active, the news from the Polish border looks like a mockery. We need joint decisions, rational decisions to get out of the situation.”

Zelenskiy said only 5% of Ukraine’s agricultural exports went through Poland and complained that the slowdown was undermining “solidarity” on a daily basis. The two countries, plus anyone who cared “about the fate of Europe”, needed to resolve the problem, he added.

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    • Telodzrum@lemmy.worldEnglish
      71·
      9 months ago

      These protestors, much like the truckers from a few months ago, are pro-Russian invasion.

    • Maalus@lemmy.worldEnglish
      51·
      9 months ago

      Had to setup Telegram for work. Within the first week or so I got a message from a russian spambot with a link to a polish yt video “what the farmer’s strike is all about”. They’re not even trying at this point.

  • ComradeSharkfuckerEnglish
    22·
    9 months ago

    I’ll never understand why farmers don’t just give the food away as protest. The effect is ultimately the same (food distributors don’t get product and the economy isn’t nearly as stimulated) but it does not waste food.

    Tbf this grain likely wasn’t meant for people anyway

    • Revonult@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      9 months ago

      I think the sentement is that disrupting the population is more impactful then disrupting whatever company is buying it. If you distribute the food for free you dont have a starving or inconvenienced population. A “starving” public is more of an issue than just lost profits.

    • Deceptichum@kbin.social
      131·
      9 months ago

      Sure and the best way to do that would be to help Ukraine fighting Russia instead of helping Russia.

      Polish farmers are Russian assets.