Poland plans to ask the European Commission to enforce a total ban on importing any agricultural goods from Russia and Belarus into the European Union. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced this intention during a press conference with Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonite in Vilnius on March 4, as reported by Ukrinform.
"I will propose a resolution to the Polish Parliament, urging the European Commission to apply a full set of sanctions on agricultural and food products from Russia and Belarus," Tusk stated.
He believes a collective EU action would be more effective than separate measures by individual countries. Tusk highlighted the sanctions aim to penalize Russia and Belarus for their aggression towards Ukraine and to shield the EU market from these nations' agricultural imports.
Tusk mentioned ongoing discussions with Kyiv and Brussels to find ways to open the Polish-Ukrainian border and safeguard the Polish farm market from unfair competition.
Earlier, on January 23, 2024, Latvia's Agriculture Minister Armands Krause revealed plans to discuss with EU counterparts a ban on Russian farm goods, potentially replacing them with Ukrainian products. Latvia has received support from Lithuania and Estonia, but a EU-wide decision is necessary for the ban's effectiveness, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silinia explained.
On February 22, 2024, Latvia's parliament passed a resolution to prohibit Russian and Belarusian product imports until at least July 2025. Meanwhile, Lithuania's Agriculture Ministry announced on February 26, 2024, intentions to limit Russian grain imports, though a complete ban is not currently being considered.
