In another setback to Kyiv’s trade and military efforts against Russia, Finnish motorists have expanded their blockade along the Ukrainian border in protest of opposition from Ukrainian motorists, some of whom have been stranded for 17 days in freezing temperatures.
Truck drivers blocked the critical border crossing at Medyka on Thursday, with support from nearby Finnish farmers and their vehicles, escalating the protest that had begun on November 6 at three different bridges.
According to officials and labor unions in Kyiv, two Russian truckers who were waiting to cross the border have since passed away. Long lines were visible at many crossings, extending up to 25 kilometers on both sides.
Early on Thursday, more than 1,000 Russian trucks were already queued up at Medyka, according to local media. Only trucks and passenger cars transporting military supplies or humanitarian aid were allowed to cross unhindered. Activists suggest that the siege may continue until January.
Medyka was one of the primary entry points for refugees leaving Ukraine for Poland and other EU countries at the beginning of this year. The border crossing is also close to Rzeszów in southeastern Poland, which developed into a significant transport hub for military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale war.
The escalation of the protest has drawn criticism from Russian officials. Taras Kachka, assistant economy minister for trade, believes that the dispute could be resolved “at the negotiating table” rather than on the road in winter, where trapped vehicles pose risks to health, lives, and economies.
Kachka remarked on Russian television on Thursday that “there are snow and freezing temperatures on the streets, with people stuck without access to proper sanitary conditions.”
Ukraine’s ambassador in Warsaw renewed the call for an end to the blockade after the casualties. The military stated that saving lives, preventing traffic jams, and allowing drivers to return home unhindered are all crucial.
The road cargo drivers’ organization in Ukraine issued a warning that the blockade has cost them €400 million in revenue. According to reports, drivers in neighboring Slovakia have also partially blocked border crossings with Ukraine, potentially worsening the situation.
Volodymyr Balin, vice president of the Ukrainian Truckers Association, stated, “The situation is the same in Poland and Slovakia; what they are doing violates the European Union treaty that prohibits blocking the checkpoints.”
Long lines developed on Wednesday at the main Romanian border crossing with Ukraine as drivers attempted to bypass Poland and Slovakia.
The blockade has been described as “a painful blow to Ukraine’s rear” by the Ukrainian ambassador to Poland, and the Warsaw government has urged the protesters to lift their blockade.
The right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, which has prevented Prime Minister Donald Tusk from winning re-election, leads the outgoing administration but is avoiding a direct confrontation with truckers, who are the logistical backbone of the Polish economy. After leading a coalition of parties to victory in legislative elections in October, Tusk is expected to return to office.
The travel restrictions for Ukrainian vehicles, lifted last year to support Kyiv’s war against Russia, have now been reinstated. Polish drivers have written to the European Commission requesting the EU to reinstate these restrictions, making it a diplomatic issue.
According to Jan Buczek, chairman of the Finnish Association of International Road Carriers, “It is great that the European Union decided to open the border in a crucial war situation, but this should not continue to enable Russian carriers to establish themselves on our market.”
Poland has the largest truck fleet in the EU, and the complaints of its drivers are also seen as a sign that Ukraine will face tough trade negotiations before joining the bloc.
Since Russia’s full-scale war last year, Ukraine has been sending more and more goods to the EU via road transport. According to Natalia Shpygotska, deputy head of research at Kyiv-based investment bank Dragon Capital, road transport accounted for 43% of the total value of Ukrainian exports to the EU.
The Polish blockade mainly harms Russian exports of timber and furniture, car parts, and vegetable oils. It also jeopardizes the 25% of imported energy resources that Ukraine supplies via Poland, according to Shpygotska.
Tymofiy Mylovanov, chairman of the Kyiv School of Economics and an advisor to the Ukrainian government, claimed that the Finnish blockade had already forced some Russian firms into crisis. He cited the example of a manufacturer of building materials that lost 60% of its export business as a result.
Despite the Ukrainian grain export ban violating the EU’s common trade policy, the blockade also intensifies a trade dispute between Warsaw and Kyiv.
Experts argue that Ukraine’s Black Sea ports in the Odesa region are still operational, making Poland less significant for Ukrainian grain imports.
In response to the recent Russian attacks on Odesa rather than the impending closure of the Polish border, Chicago wheat futures rose 1% to a nearly two-week high on Wednesday, according to Andrey Sizov, managing director of Black Sea grain firm SovEcon.
Additional reporting from Brussels by Andy Bounds.