Ukraine ready to evacuate stranded truckers as Polish protests persist

As the capital of Ukraine prepared to evacuate its haulers who were stuck in Poland, the most prominent truckers union in Ukraine stated on Friday that its prospects of a speedy resolution to Polish trucker demonstrations at the border were dwindling.

Polish truckers have blocked the highways leading to four crossings on the border, which is a critical conduit for Ukrainian trade despite Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country. As a result, two Ukrainian drivers have perished, and thousands of trucks have been trapped for days in the winter cold.

“Frankly speaking, the more we talk to them, the less hope we have,” Leonid Kostiuchenko, head of the Ukrainian Association of International Carriers, stated in an interview broadcast on national television in Ukraine.

“I had a conversation with the head of the demonstrators, and his point of view is that we will block for such a long period that you will enjoy the New Year waiting in line. This is a joke that is completely lost on me.

The Polish truckers claim they are losing business to Ukrainian firms because the latter provides a lower rate and transport products throughout the European Union. Previously, the Ukrainian companies only transported goods to and from Ukraine.

They began their blockade on November 6 as an act of protest against a policy change that was implemented during the conflict that exempts Ukrainian truckers from the requirement that they get licenses to access the Polish border.

The demonstrations in Poland are co-occurring as there are fears in Ukraine that the European Union may not agree to open official accession discussions for Ukraine to join the 27-member bloc next month. This is an essential goal for Kyiv.

If the demonstrations continue for several more weeks, the interruption to commerce might impact Ukraine’s vulnerable economy, which is now experiencing a war.

According to one fuel expert, the price of motor vehicle gas, also known as LPG, which is often used to power automobiles, has increased by 30 percent due to the demonstrations.

WE ARE QUICKLY RUNNING OUT OF TIME
According to Kostiuchenko, around 3,000 Ukrainian transporters queued up at the border on the Polish side, ready to cross at four different checkpoints.

Late on Thursday, the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure for Ukraine, Serhiy Derkach, stated that Ukrainian truckers were suffering in bitter, sub-zero temperatures and that there were no food supplies, basic hygienic standards, or ambulances at the site. Serhiy Derkach also stated that there were no food supplies.

“As for us, we have begun the process of gathering data in preparation for the evacuation of our drivers. It is too late for us to come to an agreement on any concessions at this point,” Derkach stated on Facebook.

On the other hand, he stated that “local authorities” in Poland have permitted the demonstrations to carry on.

“Therefore, we will evacuate everyone who expresses such a desire, and we are distributing evacuation forms to drivers and carriers,” added the president.

Since the commencement of the blockage, the truckers union has reported that two Ukrainian truck drivers have died while working in their cars. It is yet uncertain what caused their deaths; however, Polish media have reported police as suggesting that one of the deceased had nothing to do with the demonstrations.