Deputy Prime Minister Henryk Kowalczyk congratulated Minister Solskiy on his taking up of the post of the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine at the end of March of this year. He noted that the new Ukrainian Minister had until then been the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy at the Ukrainian Parliament – the Supreme Council and had excellent knowledge of the issues related to the agricultural sector of Ukraine.

Ukrainian agriculture in time of war

The armed aggression of the Russian Federation on 24 February 2022 put Ukraine in a very difficult social and economic situation. Minister Solskiy described the challenges now facing the Ukrainian agricultural sector, caused, among others, by the Russian blockade of Ukrainian seaports though which cereals had been transported before the war or the problems related to the availability of production inputs which were indispensable for spring field works.

Food aid for Ukraine

Minister Solskiy expressed gratitude for the support provided by both the Government of Poland and the Polish citizens in this difficult time for Ukraine.

The head of the Ministry of Agriculture assured Minister Solskiy that Ukraine could count on Polish support. He said that, in order to ensure food security in the present situation, efforts should be taken to simplify as much as possible any procedures for the transport of commodities across the Polish-Ukrainian border, under the principle of reciprocity. Moreover, he pointed out that Poland had already provided more efficient clearance of Ukrainian agri-food commodities on the border between our countries.

The Ministers agreed that they would regularly contact each other in order to discuss on a current basis and resolve any arising issues.

Ukraine also counts on support as regards safeguarding food security on the part of the EU and its Member States.