EU Funding Needed for Infrastructure Investments to Ensure Ukrainian Grain Export Amid Russia’s Blockade

With Russia’s withdrawal in July from the agreement on the export of Ukrainian agricultural products through the Black Sea and the attacks on Ukraine’s export infrastructure – not only the Black Sea ports, but also the Danube ports on the border with Romania – the discussion on how to ensure the export of Ukrainian grain to global markets has resumed in the EU.

Part of this export goes there in transit through the Polish-Ukrainian border, but in order to increase the volume in the face of Russia’s blockade of the route through the Black Sea infrastructure investments are needed.

EU funds for this purpose were announced a few months ago by the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. However, she did not provide specifics. As the Polish Press Agency found out, Poland, in response to Russia’s actions, presented EU diplomats and officials with detailed calculations of the necessary investments.

The documents show that approx. EUR 500 million is needed for the expansion of border terminals for large trucks (Dorohusk-Jagodzin, Hrebenne-Rawa Ruska, Korczowa-Krakowiec) and the railway infrastructure in Przemyśl. Poland considers these investments a priority.

The remaining over EUR 500 million would be allocated to i.a. modernization of railway border crossings between Poland and Ukraine, construction of terminals for trucks and construction of freight traffic control infrastructure at the border.

We need investment

This information was confirmed by the Permanent Representative of Poland to the EU Andrzej Sadoś.

– For 1.5 years we have been wanting to increase the transit of Ukrainian grain to third countries, especially to Africa. However, this requires investment, and we reiterate our specific requests to the Commission to increase infrastructure capacity

– he said.

At the end of July, at a meeting of EU ambassadors to the EU in Brussels, Sados was supposed to emphasize that global food security requires facilitating the export of Ukrainian products to third countries, and Poland is doing it. He pointed out that in May and June Poland recorded record-breaking transit volumes – in June 2023, the transit of wheat and corn totaled over 260,000. tonnes, which is more than double the volumes transited in March 2023 (120,000 tonnes of wheat and corn).

The Polish diplomat, in the face of Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea agreement and subsequent attacks on Ukrainian export infrastructure, also appealed for action on the part of EU institutions. It is about support for infrastructure investments.

Poland – as he informed – in this context continues to support all activities aimed at improving the functioning of the so-called solidarity corridors. As an example was given by investing about EUR 63 million, mainly from national funds, in improving the railway infrastructure located at border crossings.

After withdrawing from the grain agreement, which guarantees the safe transport of agricultural products through the Black Sea, Russia repeatedly fired on the Ukrainian port infrastructure on the Black Sea, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported on the X platform (Twitter).

The data quoted in the tweet also show that 26 port infrastructure facilities and five ships transporting grain and other agricultural products were destroyed.

On July 17, Russia withdrew from two “mirror” agreements concluded by Ukraine and Russia with Turkey and the UN last July. After the agreement was terminated, the Russian military intensified shelling of coastal towns, destroying civilian targets, port infrastructure, cultural monuments, etc.

Source: niezalezna.pl, PAP

#Poland #Ukraine #war #cereals #transit #European Commission #Ursula von der Leyen

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