Ukraine has announced legal action following the announcement of decisions by Poland, Hungary and Slovakia to impose their own export bans on Ukrainian grain. This was reported by the Daily Express. The actions of these countries were met with strong criticism in Kiev, particularly given the ongoing conflict with Russia and Ukraine’s efforts to remind the European Union of its free trade commitments.

Taras Kachka, Ukraine’s trade representative, emphasized the importance of the legal situation in an interview with POLITICO’s Playbook. He said the measures taken by the states mentioned were legally wrong and announced that he would take legal action. He also hinted that Ukraine might also take action against Polish exports in response, with the upcoming parliamentary elections in Ukraine on October 15th in the background.

EU grain decision causes diplomatic tensions

The controversy was sparked by the European Commission’s decision to allow the sale of Ukrainian grain in the EU. The three countries mentioned then implemented their own bans, which Kachka said showed distrust of the Commission. He stressed, as the Daily Express reported, that these actions could undermine the current trusting cooperation with the Commission.

EU wanted to protect its own farmers

The European Commission’s original move to impose a temporary ban on the sale of Ukrainian grain was aimed at protecting local farmers. The blockade of Ukrainian ports by Russia led to an increased influx of Ukrainian products into the EU. However, after the Commission lifted the ban, some countries responded with their own restrictions, which caused anger in Ukraine.