The Minister of Agriculture of Poland announced on Monday that he had received from the European Commission a draft resolution extending the embargo on grain imports from Ukraine until September 15, Reuters and Agerpres reported.

On May 2, the European Union introduced restrictions until June 5 on the import of wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower seeds from Ukraine in order to reduce the excess supply of cereals in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

These countries complained that cheap grain from Ukraine makes local production unprofitable. The head of the community reported that during this period wheat, corn, rapeseed and sunflower from Ukraine can be sold to any other country of the community.

Earlier, the European Commission reported that it may extend the restrictions on the import of grain from Ukraine after June 5, if the exceptional situation persists.

“I received from the European Commission a draft of a new regulation that prohibits the import of four products in five countries. The date provided for by the project is September 15,” Polish Minister of Agriculture Robert Telus wrote on Twitter.

“This is only a draft, but I hope that it will come into force from tomorrow,” the Polish official added.

Ukraine called for the lifting of restrictions on its exports

Previously, the EU liberalized all imports from Ukraine in order to help the authorities in Kyiv resist the Russian invasion. Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia became transit routes for grain from Ukraine, which could no longer be exported by sea, as Ukrainian ports were blocked by the war.

Last week, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, during negotiations with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, called for the unconditional lifting of all restrictions on the export of Ukrainian agricultural products.

“Any restrictions on our exports are absolutely unacceptable now, because they strengthen the capabilities of the Russian aggressor,” Zelenskyy said, calling on Brussels to “remove them as soon as possible,” calling them “tough, even brutal protectionist measures.”

“In wartime (they) can only disappoint,” he said, referring to the five countries in question – Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania, according to AFP.

In mid-April, Poland became the first EU country to take measures against the entry of Ukrainian wheat and other grain products into the country.

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