Zelensky sends delegation to Polish border for talks

Kyiv [Ukraine], February 22: After days of protests by Polish farmers, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky now wants to send Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and other cabinet members to the blocked border crossings for negotiations.
This applies especially to Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, Zelensky said in a video address published in Ukrainian and Polish on Wednesday. This should happen before the second anniversary of the war on Saturday.
"Unfortunately, this blockade at the border endangers the supply of weapons to our boys at the front," he said. Zelensky also addressed Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Poland's President Andrzej Duda. "I ask you, Donald, Prime Minister, to go to the border as well.
"Andrzej, Mr. President, I also ask you to support this dialogue," he appealed to the Polish leadership. He stressed that this is a matter of Ukrainian national security.
"We cannot delay this," Zelensky said, adding that he is ready to drive to the border himself.
At the same time, the Ukrainian president said the European Commission should also send representatives to the desired meeting.
For days, Polish farmers have been trying to block lorries carrying Ukrainian grain at the Polish-Ukrainian border. Several thousand lorries are said to be backed up at the border crossings.
The dissatisfaction of Polish farmers is directed against EU agricultural policy, but also against the import of cheap agricultural products from Ukraine.
On Tuesday, buses and freight trains from Ukraine were also the target of the protests for the first time.
Poland is one of Ukraine's most important supporters in the war that has been going on for almost two years.
Especially at the beginning of the Russian invasion, the neighbouring country was one of the main destinations for millions of Ukrainian refugees.
Poland's government is on alert over possible Russian infiltration of the farmers' protests in the country.
"In our opinion, the anti-Ukrainian slogans that appeared during the recent farmers' blockades are an attempt by outside groups that may be influenced by Russian intelligence to take over the movement," the Foreign Ministry in Warsaw said on Wednesday.
The Ministry was extremely concerned to see posters glorifying Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war that he is waging during the protests.
Polish farmers are protesting against EU agricultural policy, but also against the import of cheaper agricultural products from Ukraine.
Farmers blocked transport hubs across the country on Tuesday and unloaded grain from Ukrainian lorries at the Medyka border crossing.
The government's warning is in relation to images seen in the town of Gorzyczki, and published by several Polish media outlets.
The images showed a tractor with a Soviet flag and a poster with the words: "Putin, clean up Ukraine, Brussels and our rulers."
The public prosecutor's office is now investigating the farmer for "propaganda for fascism, communism or another authoritarian form of rule" and incitement of hate.
Source: Qatar Tribune