Grain clash brings tensions between close allies, even in wartime

A flare-up of tensions between Ukraine and one of its strongest supporters in NATO showed that even in wartime, pocketbook issues and electoral considerations never entirely disappear.

Polish President Andrzej Duda on Thursday tried to walk back comments from his prime minister that Warsaw was cutting off its own weapons trade with Ukraine, in reaction to a flood of Ukrainian grain imports that were undercutting politically influential agricultural interests in Poland.

Mr. Duda, a strong supporter of Kyiv in its fight against Russian invading forces but whose party faces the voters in a general election next month, told the Polish news channel TVN24 that the comments from Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki were “interpreted in the worst possible way.”

“The prime minister meant that we won’t be transferring to Ukraine the new weaponry that we’re currently buying as we modernize the Polish army,” Mr. Duda said, according to the Agence France-Presse news agency.

It wasn’t clear what impact ending Poland’s military supply line might have on Ukraine. Poland has provided Ukraine with hundreds of Soviet-era tanks and dozens of MiG-29 jet fighters, effectively clearing out its supply of Cold War firepower. It is also the main land pipeline for hundreds of billions of dollars of military and humanitarian aid from the U.S. and NATO allies into Ukraine.

A Pentagon spokesman said Poland — or any other country — has the right to determine the level of its support for Ukraine, but that Thursday’s move would not choke off the larger international aid flows.

“Poland has been one of the leading countries when it comes to providing security assistance to Ukraine,” Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said Thursday. “And not only security assistance but also … significant humanitarian aid and support for more than a million displaced Ukrainians who have gone to Poland as a result of Russia’s invasion.”

The row over grain exports that triggered the rift between Warsaw and Kyiv comes after the European Union last week decided against renewing a ban on Ukrainian grain heading to nearby countries, including Poland. Officials in Poland claim their farmers would be hurt by an influx of agricultural products from the war-torn country often called the “breadbasket of Europe.”

During his address to the U.N. General Assembly, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy assailed countries that are continuing to ban Ukrainian agriculture exports. He accused them of proclaiming their solidarity in public but “making a thriller from the grain.”

“They may seem to play their own role, but in fact, they are helping set the stage for a Moscow actor,” Mr. Zelenskyy said.

Poland’s embassy in Washington, D.C. condemned what it said was “a series of utterly unacceptable diplomatic statements and gestures” coming from Ukraine over the trade dispute.

“We believe that public exchanges of accusations are not an appropriate and effective way to find a solution to this challenge,” the Polish Embassy said Thursday in a statement.

Poland accused Ukraine of dumping its grain on the market, which has led to “significant disruptions” in its own economy. But, officials in Warsaw said they aren’t blocking the transit of Ukrainian products to their final destination where they can be distributed to those who genuinely need them.

“Compared to February of this year, transit shipments of grain have doubled and reached 260,000 tons in June 2023. These values continue to grow,” the embassy said. “We still have high stocks, which, combined with this year’s high grain production in Poland, contribute to ongoing market problems.”

Mr. Zelenskyy, asked about the trade dispute with Poland during a visit to the White House, also tried to downplay the idea of a permanent rift between the two countries.

“I’m grateful to Polish people, to the Polish society for their support. That’s it,” Mr. Zelenskyy said Thursday.

Despite the EU action, the Polish government is maintaining its ban on the import of grains like wheat, corn and sunflower seeds from Ukraine. In light of the market volatility, such a move is “justified and aims to maintain Poland’s food security and public safety,” the embassy said.

However, it appears some lower-level officials from both countries may be trying to find a diplomatic route around the impasse. On Thursday, Ukraine’s Agriculture Minister Mykola Solskyi spoke with his Polish counterpart, Robert Telus.

“The ministers discussed the current situation and Ukraine’s proposal to resolve it and agreed to find a solution that would take into account the interests of both countries,” according to a statement from the Ministry of Agrarian Police and Food of Ukraine, adding further talks are planned.