Latvia is Ready to Help Resolve the Issue of the Blockade on the Ukrainian-Polish Border
The Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Krišjānis Kariņš, urged his Polish counterpart, Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk, to find a solution to the situation caused by the protest of Polish carriers during a phone call. Latvia expressed its willingness to assist in resolving the matter, as reported by the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Both ministers also discussed the future decision of the European Council regarding the start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU. The Latvian Foreign Minister affirmed strong support for Ukraine, stating that Ukraine belongs to Europe. Therefore, Latvia advocates for the commencement of negotiations on Ukraine's EU accession this year.
As previously reported, since November 6, Polish carriers have been blocking three additional border checkpoints with Ukraine: Yagodyn-Dorohusk, Krakovets-Korczova, and Rava-Ruska-Hrebenne. This has resulted in long queues at the border. The Polish protesters have put forth several conditions, some of which directly or indirectly contradict existing EU legislation. For instance, they demanded the introduction of commercial permits for Ukrainian carriers, the strengthening of transport rules in accordance with the European Conference of Ministers of Transport, and a reduction in transit quotas to the level that existed before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
On November 23, it was announced that the blockade participants intend to continue their protest until February 1, 2024. Earlier, the European Commission threatened to initiate disciplinary proceedings if the Polish government does not resolve the issue of the border blockade with Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has officially initiated the creation of a European Union monitoring group at the border with Poland. The group is expected to be deployed from the EU side of the border. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine has started collecting data for the evacuation of drivers.