Polish protesters have begun blocking truck traffic at the Polish side of the Medyka-Shehyni border checkpoint with Ukraine, the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service announced on Sept. 6.
The protest began at 12:50 p.m. Kyiv time and is expected to last at least six hours, Ukrainian authorities said. Passenger cars and buses are allowed to pass without restrictions.
The news comes amid heightened tensions between the two countries as Poland‘s new president, Karol Nawrocki, has taken a harder stance toward Kyiv than his predecessor, Andrzej Duda.
The rally is taking place roughly 1 kilometer from the Polish side of the checkpoint. There are currently 681 trucks queuing up to enter Poland, the Border Guard said.
The event was launched by Polish farmers in response to low grain prices, difficulties in selling their produce, and the EU’s trade agreement with the South American group Mercosur. The participants presented the protest as an urgent appeal to the Polish government and Brussels to intervene.
Polish farmers and truckers have repeatedly blocked traffic at the Poland-Ukraine border since 2023, protesting the influx of Ukrainian goods and labor force after Brussels eased trade rules with Kyiv in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
The protests have strained Ukraine’s relations with Poland, which has otherwise been a crucial ally during the war.
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