The suspension of the protest until March, while its leaders negotiate with the Polish government, promises some relief for Ukraine's flagging economy.
Polish truckers have lifted the blockade of checkpoints on the border with Ukraine after reaching an agreement with the government, putting an end to two months of protests that had delayed tons of goods in Europe and strained the Ukrainian economy.
According to the agreement reached on Tuesday afternoon, truckers will suspend the blockade while they hold further talks with the Polish government to reach a final agreement by March 1. A few hours later, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reported that traffic had been restored at the three checkpoints that remained blocked.
The free flow of goods is “vital in times of war, especially for the supply of military and humanitarian cargo, for exports and the functioning of our economy,” Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said in a statement.
Since the war began in 2022, Ukraine has largely used land routes for exports due to Russia's attempt to block the Black Sea. But Polish truckers complain about what they see as unfair and cheap competition from Ukrainian counterparts, which threatens their own profits. Since early November, they have blocked several border crossings, forcing thousands of Ukrainian trucks to wait for days at the border.
Trade tensions had previously erupted over complaints by Polish farmers that the European Union's decision to allow duty-free imports of agricultural products from Ukraine into the bloc would undermine their domestic market. The dispute was resolved after the Polish government agreed to meet the farmers' demands for financial compensation.
In the latest dispute with truckers, the main issue for protesters is the European Union's decision to lift permit requirements for Ukrainian truckers after Russia's full-scale invasion last year, to help keep the Ukrainian economy afloat during the war.
Protesters said this had led to an influx of Ukrainian drivers, who are not subject to European Union rules on working hours and wages, which had cut into the earnings of Polish truckers. The main demand of the Polish migrant workers is the restoration of transport permits for Ukrainian truckers.
But Mr. Kubrakov, the infrastructure minister, suggested on Tuesday that Ukraine would not compromise on the permits, raising the likelihood that tensions would persist.
“It is important for us to preserve and continue the “transport visa-free regime” as a necessity to support our economy in wartime,” said Mr. Kubrakov.
