Poland's President says Ukraine behaving like a 'drowning person' over grain import ban

Amidst the ongoing grain import dispute, Polish President Andrzej Duda has drawn a vivid analogy, comparing Ukraine's reaction to Poland's extension of its embargo on Ukrainian grain imports to that of a drowning person. Duda defended Poland's unilateral import restrictions and expressed the need to safeguard Polish interests.

Speaking at a UNGA press briefing in New York during his five-day visit to the United States for the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, Duda stated, "Ukraine is behaving like a drowning person clinging to everything he can... but we have the right to defend ourselves against harm being done to us." He elaborated on the analogy, noting, "A drowning person is extremely dangerous, he can pull you down to the depths... simply drown the rescuer."

Duda stated the importance of protecting Polish interests amidst the grain import dispute, saying, "We must act to protect ourselves from the harm being done to us because if the drowning person... drowns us, he will not get help. So we have to take care of our interests and we will do it effectively and decisively."

Meeting with Zelenskyy delayed

While Duda had initially planned to meet with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, logistical delays in the schedule of leaders' speeches at the UNGA prevented the meeting. However, Duda did not rule out the possibility of a future meeting between the two leaders.

Zelenskyy, during his speech at the UNGA, took a swipe at Poland, Slovakia and Hungary for extending the ban on the import of Ukrainian grains. “Some of our friends in Europe whose expressions of solidarity are doing political theatre, by restricting imports from Ukraine, helping set the stage for a Moscow actor,” the Ukrainian President asserted. During his speech, Zelenskyy noted that the goal of the Russian military campaign was to turn “Ukraine, its people, food and children into weapons” against the international order.

The grain import dispute stems from Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia's decision to extend their embargo on agricultural products from Ukraine, in defiance of the European Union's decision to terminate the ban. While the European Commission announced that it would not extend restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural imports after September 15, Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia opted to maintain unilateral restrictions indefinitely.

In response to Poland's stance, Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced that Ukraine would seek the arbitration of the World Trade Organisation if Poland blocked the export of Ukrainian grain.