Poland summoned the Ukrainian ambassador on Tuesday in response to a similar move by Kyiv, caused by statements by a Polish official on Ukrainian grain imports that sparked a row between the two allied countries.
In an interview on Monday with public television TVP, a Polish presidential adviser, Marcin Przydacz, said Warsaw was giving priority to “defending the interests of Polish farmers” in asking for restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports to be extended.
“Ukraine has received a lot of support from Poland, it would be nice if it started to be grateful for the role Poland has played for Ukraine in recent months and years,” Przydacz added.
Kyiv reacted by summoning the Polish ambassador to its foreign ministry on Tuesday. “Statements about the alleged ingratitude of Ukrainians for the aid received from the Republic of Poland do not reflect reality and are therefore unacceptable,” Ukraine said in a statement.
Poland then retaliated by summoning Ukrainian ambassador Vasyl Zvarych to the foreign ministry in Warsaw. Zvarych said in a statement that the summons was due to “statements by representatives of the Ukrainian authorities."
Warsaw has been one of Kyiv’s most devoted allies since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, advocating increased military aid to the war-torn country.
However, tensions have arisen between the two neighbours as Poland is opposed to Ukrainian grain imports, which have sparked protests by Polish farmers.
The Polish government recently urged the European Union to extend the moratorium on Ukrainian grain, which expires on September 15, threatening otherwise to maintain it unilaterally.
