Ukraine seeks to increase grain transit via Poland as Polish minister sets conditions

Ukraine is seeking a significant increase in grain transit through Poland to Polish seaports amid restrictions on exports via the Black Sea. Polish Agriculture Minister Stefan Krajewski made the comments while answering journalists’ questions at a press conference on August 25. According to him, Ukraine needs to urgently export its accumulated grain stocks.

Krajewski said the issue concerns the transit of Ukrainian grain to ports for further export, rather than supplies to the Polish market. He stressed that the existing ban on imports of Ukrainian agricultural products into Poland remains unchanged.

A possible increase in transit volumes is currently being discussed by Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Infrastructure. No decision has yet been made on additional shipments. Krajewski said that Poland has so far made no concessions on the issue.

At the same time, the minister did not rule out increasing Ukrainian grain transit through Polish ports. He said Poland’s priority should remain the export of its own agricultural products, with the country first ensuring sufficient capacity to ship its own grain surpluses.

Krajewski also linked his cautious position to Poland’s experience in 2022–2023, when significant volumes of Ukrainian grain entered the Polish market. Therefore, expanding Ukrainian grain transit through Poland remains under discussion, while the agriculture minister insists on protecting the domestic market and prioritizing Polish exports.

Tags: Ukraine, grain, Poland, grain transportation, transit