Polish Farmers Announce Major Strike Impacting Ukrainian Border Crossings
In a significant escalatory move, Polish farmers have declared a large-scale strike set to commence, which will affect several border crossings with Ukraine. The Ukrainian State Border Guard has issued a warning indicating that, starting at 10:00 AM Kyiv time, farmers will obstruct traffic on sections adjacent to the Ukrainian checkpoints of «Yahodin,» «Shehyni,» and «Rava-Ruska.» At the first two crossing points, they will permit the passage of only one truck per hour in each direction, while the «Hreben — Rava-Ruska» crossing will allow two trucks per hour during daylight.
The next stage of the strike is scheduled to begin shortly after, when access for cargo vehicles through the «Ustyluh» and «Uhryniv» checkpoints will become increasingly restricted. Meanwhile, passenger cars and buses will continue to receive passage, though trucks weighing up to 7.5 tons will be limited to three vehicles per hour in each direction.
Farmers are voicing their grievances regarding European Union policies that facilitate the importation of agricultural products into the EU. They assert that both previous and current administrations have acted passively in addressing these issues. Additionally, Ukrainian border guards have received notice from their Hungarian counterparts about planned protests along the route to the «Zahon» checkpoint, although they have not intended to preemptively block traffic in this area.
The strike highlights growing tensions over agricultural import policies and raises concerns about possible disruptions in trade and transportation across the crucial border region. As tensions mount, the implications of this strike could reverberate through both Polish and Ukrainian economies relying on agricultural exports and imports.
