Ukraine Loses Over 400 Million Euros Due to Border Post Blockade by Poland

The blockade of border posts at the Polish-Ukrainian border by Polish freight carriers has resulted in damages to Ukraine's economy exceeding 400 million euros (over 435 million dollars), according to Vladimir Balin, vice president of Ukraine's International Road Carriers Association.

“The situation is truly critical. I am not ready to say how other industries are affected, although, according to the Federation of Employers of Ukraine, our economy has already lost more than 400 million euros,” he stated during a press briefing.

Balin added that each Ukrainian freight carrier suffers a daily loss of 350 euros in profitability due to the standstill.

Since November 6, Polish freight carriers have blocked three key border posts with Ukraine. They demand the cancellation of privileges granted by the EU to their Ukrainian counterparts, the restoration of the mandatory licensing procedure for Ukrainian freight transport, and the cancellation of permits granted to Ukrainian transport companies after February 24, 2022. Several kilometers of queues of trucks have formed at the border as a result.

Due to the blockade, the cost of shipping goods from Poland to Ukraine has increased more than threefold. On November 21, Slovak carriers also closed the passage for trucks at the “Visné Nemecké-Uhgorod” border post. According to Ukrainian border guards, the post was temporarily unblocked at midnight. Currently, around 400 trucks are waiting to exit Slovakia.