Ukraine is negotiating with neighboring EU member states to move customs inspections of its trucks carrying grain from the border to locations inside those countries, in an attempt to stop Russian drone attacks on the trucks. The Financial Times reports this, UNN writes.
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Kyiv is negotiating with Poland and Slovakia to move customs inspections to their territories in an attempt to make the trucks safer,
Ukraine has been forced to transport most of its agricultural exports by road, river and rail through the EU after Russian drone strikes virtually closed the route for vessels through the Black Sea.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said that Kyiv had established joint border-control points with Moldova but sought to "expand" this initiative with other neighbors, including Poland.
The move was prompted by "this new security situation, in which Russia is deliberately trying to strike our borders, disrupt logistics and transportation, and derail the movement of cargo across the border," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said.
He added that Ukraine sought to finalize an agreement with Poland "as soon as possible."
The European Commission said it was helping Moldova move all customs inspections to its side of the border.
Since August, Ukraine has recorded numerous attacks on border crossing points on its borders with Romania, Moldova and Poland.
Intensified Russian drone attacks have caused huge truck queues on both sides of the border. Ukraine’s customs service reported on Wednesday that more than 1,200 trucks were waiting to enter Ukraine at one of the crossing points in Volyn Oblast, the publication writes.
According to Ukraine’s Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotskyi, drone attacks on the region’s largest seaports and vessels have cut agricultural exports by approximately half. According to Vysotskyi, in September Ukraine exported 2.4 million tonnes of agricultural products, or only 46 percent of its potential volume.
Ukraine, which could face a budget shortfall estimated at €70 billion next year, is losing around €60 million in export revenues per day, EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas said on Wednesday.
French President Emmanuel Macron said last week that restoring trade routes for Ukraine was important for financing its economy and military efforts, as EU countries seek to provide financial support.
"We must allow Ukraine to have an income... Ukraine has record harvests, which, incidentally, enables it to feed many developing and poor countries," Macron added. "Russia has chosen to starve these countries and impoverish Ukraine."
The European Commission said it would step up efforts to transport Ukrainian products to Africa and Asia through the EU.
New transport routes for Ukrainian goods through EU countries, known as "solidarity lanes" (solidarity lanes), were established after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, when its fleet blockaded almost all of Ukraine’s exports.
Ukraine said it would seek to use ports in the Baltic countries to ship some products. However, the cost is much higher than using the Black Sea, the publication notes.
The European Commission said: "Developing alternative transport routes remains a key priority in response to Russia’s ongoing attacks on Ukraine’s seaports, transport infrastructure and border crossing points."
It added that it was seeking donations of rolling stock for the Ukrainian railway operator.