Poland "Stop Military Aid to Ukraine"... Conflict Intensifies Over Grain Issues

"Like a drowning man causing the rescuer to drown"
Dispute intensifies over extension of Ukraine agricultural product ban

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Poland, a major hub for Western military support to Ukraine including from the United States, has declared that it will no longer provide weapons to Ukraine, sparking widespread controversy. The relationship between Poland and Ukraine, which had actively supported Ukraine amid concerns over Russia's escalation, has rapidly deteriorated, drawing attention to the underlying reasons.

For now, the bilateral relationship appears to have worsened due to the extension of bans by Poland and other Eastern European countries on Ukrainian agricultural products, and Ukraine's public criticism of these measures. There are concerns that if the Polish government completely cuts off military support to Ukraine, the course of the war could once again shift in Russia's favor.

According to AFP on the 20th (local time), Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki stated at a press conference, "Poland must be armed with more modern weapons," and declared, "We will no longer transfer weapons to Ukraine."

Poland has been a country actively providing military support to Ukraine as a neighbor of Russia and a key transit point for Western military supplies destined for Ukraine. However, as conflicts between the two countries intensified over the issue of Ukrainian agricultural products passing through Poland, Poland expressed a hardline stance to halt all military support.

Earlier, as Russia withdrew from the Black Sea grain agreement, blocking grain export routes, Ukraine significantly increased its rerouted grain exports via land and waterways through neighboring Eastern European countries such as Poland. As a result, the prices of agricultural products in Poland and other Eastern European countries plummeted, leading these countries, including Poland, to receive approval from the European Union (EU) to impose bans on Ukrainian grain exports.

Although this measure expired on the 15th, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and others announced extensions of the ban to protect their domestic farmers. In response, Ukraine strongly opposed these actions by filing complaints against these countries with the World Trade Organization (WTO), escalating the conflict.

Ukraine publicly condemned the grain bans imposed by Poland and other Eastern European countries. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on the 19th (local time), sharply criticized the grain bans, saying, "Some of our friends in Europe have united in a political drama to help Russia take the stage."

In response, the Polish government immediately pushed back. The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Vasyl Zvarych, the Ukrainian ambassador to Warsaw, to strongly protest. Polish President Andrzej Duda also publicly criticized the Ukrainian government, stating, "Ukraine must remember that it is receiving help from Poland," and added, "It is like a drowning person pulling down the rescuer to drown as well."