Poland will put the border with Ukraine on the list of critical infrastructure

2024-02-22 14:02:02

WARSAW (AP) — Poland’s prime minister said border crossings with Ukraine will be added to a list of critical infrastructure to ensure that all military and humanitarian aid can reach that country without delay.

“Ukraine’s fate hangs in the balance and I don’t need to convince anyone that this means our fate hangs in the balance too,” said Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose country is on NATO’s eastern flank and borders Ukraine.

Tusk spoke after protests by Polish farmers that have included border blockades and the spilling of Ukrainian grain from freight trains at border crossings. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that the blockades are slowing the delivery of supplies to Ukrainian troops on the front lines.

Poland is one of the main departure points for the transportation of Western military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. It has donated many of its own weapons and is also a crossing point for many of those sent by NATO member countries.

Tusk disputed that any shipment of military equipment to Ukraine has been stopped. However, he announced that from now on border crossings, railways and sections of some roads will be added to the list of critical infrastructure to guarantee “100% that military and humanitarian assistance will reach the Ukrainian side without delay.”

Polish farmers, as well as those in other European countries, have been protesting Ukrainian food exports to the European Union market, claiming they are driving down prices. They also oppose EU climate policies that they say will raise costs and hurt them economically.

Following protests in Poland this week, Zelenskyy publicly invited Tusk to a meeting in a border town ahead of the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Tusk said Thursday that the meeting between the two governments will take place on March 28. He added that Poland’s support for Ukraine is unwavering, but emphasized that he is also trying to address the legitimate concerns of Polish farmers and make Brussels and kyiv understand their points of view.

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