Suspending the protest until March while its leaders negotiate with the Polish government promises some relief for Ukraine's sagging economy.
Polish truckers have lifted blockades at border crossings with Ukraine after reaching a deal with the government, ending two months of protests that have delayed tons of goods in Europe and strained the Ukrainian economy.
Under the agreement reached on Tuesday afternoon, the carriers 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 St. three checkpoints that remained blocked.
The free flow of goods is "vitally necessary during wartime, especially for the supply of military and humanitarian goods, for exports and the functioning of our economy," Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said in a statement.
Since the start of the war in 2022, Ukraine has mainly used overland routes for exports due to Russia's attempt to blockade the Black Sea. But Polish truckers complain about what they see as unfair and cheap competition from their Ukrainian counterparts, which threatens their own profits. Starting in early November, they blocked several checkpoints, forcing thousands of Ukrainian trucks to wait at the border for days.
Trade tensions arose earlier over complaints by Polish farmers that the European Union's decision to allow duty-free agricultural imports from Ukraine to the bloc would undermine their domestic market. This dispute was resolved after the Polish government agreed to meet the farmers' demands for financial compensation.
In the latest dispute with truckers, the protesters' main issue is the European Union's decision to lift permit requirements for Ukrainian truckers after Russia's full-scale invasion last year to help keep Ukraine's economy afloat during the war.
Protesters said this led to an influx of Ukrainian drivers who are not subject to European Union rules on working hours and wages, which cut into the profits of Polish truckers. The main demand of Polish workers is the restoration of transport permits for Ukrainian truck drivers.
But Mr. Kubrakov, the infrastructure minister, suggested on Tuesday that Ukraine would not compromise on the permits, raising the prospect of continued tensions.
"It is important for us to preserve and continue the "transport visa-free" as a necessity to support our economy in wartime," Mr. Kubrakov said.
