Polish farmers started a protest at two more border crossings with Ukraine, the Zosin-Ustyluh and Dołhobyczów-Uhryniv, and resumed blockading the Medyka-Shehyni border crossing, Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service reported on 12 February.
The Polish protesters, including truck drivers and farmers, have periodically blocked the border crossing points with Ukraine since November 2023. They are demanding an end to tariff-free trade between Ukraine and the EU.
As of 10:10 am local time, farmers launched protest actions at the Dołhobyczów-Uhryniv and Zosin-Ustyluh checkpoints, blocking cargo traffic there.
At the Ustyluh crossing, protesters plan to let three trucks per hour pass. Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service said that passenger vehicles and humanitarian aid will be allowed to cross freely.
At Uhryniv, Polish farmers intend to let two trucks per hour pass in both directions.
At Medyka-Shehyni, only one truck per hour will be allowed to cross. The movement of cars and buses will be allowed.
As of the morning of 12 February, some 1,050 trucks are waiting in lines in Poland to cross the border with Ukraine.
Polish protesters damaged three Ukrainian grain trucks near the Dorohusk border crossing with Ukraine, spilling cargo on the road, Polish station RMF24 reported. Polish police have reportedly launched an investigation per the station’s data.
The EU is preparing a draft resolution to continue tariff-free Ukraine trade until mid-2025, rejecting Poland’s bid to restore some import duties. Poland wants a “safeguard clause” allowing individual states to enact protections from specific Ukrainian export impacts.
- On 31 October, a major protest by Polish truck drivers threatened to shut down all border crossings between Poland and Ukraine starting on November 3rd, which marked the beginning of the border blockade crisis.
- On 6 November, dozens of Polish truck drivers blocked three border crossings with Ukraine, and expanded it to a fourth crossing. The Polish protesters demanded the return of permits for Ukrainian carriers, tougher EU transportation requirements, prohibiting non-EU company registration, access to Ukraine’s Shlyakh system for eligible drivers, separate border queues for EU cars in eCherha, and dedicated lanes for empty vehicles.
- On 14 November, talks between Ukraine and Poland at the countries’ border failed to resolve the strike, and four days later, nearly 3,000 trucks had congested at the Polish-Ukrainian border.
- The organizers of the Polish trucker strike at the Ukrainian border had close ties to Russia and supported Russia’s occupation of Crimea.
- The protest claimed its first casualty on 22 November, when a 56-year-old Ukrainian truck driver who was waiting to cross the border into Ukraine died.
- On 27 November, Poland presented Ukraine with carrier demands: implementation of commercial permits for Ukrainian companies, except those transporting humanitarian/military goods, plus suspension and verification of licenses for companies opened after the Ukraine war outbreak.
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