The official representative of the European Commission, Guillaume Mercier, stated at a press conference in Brussels that the Ukrainian side has presented how it plans to use the grain products and for what purposes the funding is needed. According to him, this involves subsidizing interest rates on bank debts and providing loans to agricultural producers.
The European Commission also announced that it is closely monitoring the situation in the Black Sea, as it affects not only agriculture but also the overall economy of Ukraine.
Mercier stated that the EU continues to maintain contact with Ukrainian partners. Additionally, the EU delegation recently met with the Minister of Agriculture of Ukraine.
Separately, the EU continues to discuss with Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine the situation regarding the transportation of products via alternative routes known as “solidarity corridors.” These routes are used to export Ukrainian products under the existing restrictions and risks of maritime logistics.
At the same time, specific timelines for responding to Kyiv's request from the European Commission have not yet been mentioned. The EU representative noted that consultations on this issue are ongoing.
Meanwhile, farmers in Poland have reported that the cheap Ukrainian grain being transported through their country is actually remaining in the local market, according to Politico.
“Documents are sent to Lithuania, the Czech Republic, or Slovakia, while the grain stays in Poland,” the publication quotes the head of the Agricultural Chamber of Lublin, Gustav Endreik.
Warsaw is already negotiating with Kyiv to support the transportation of grain through Polish territory. The Polish Foreign Ministry representative Maciej Wewyra clarified that the dialogue concerns “exclusively the unhindered transportation of Ukrainian grain to third countries.” At the same time, he emphasized that Polish authorities continue to cooperate with Ukraine and support the organization of transit.
