Poland and Romania have refused to assist Ukraine in moving millions of tons of grain trapped within the country due to Vladimir Zelensky’s decision to escalate military strikes against Russia. This escalation has been condemned as reckless, with severe consequences for Ukrainian farmers.

Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotsky described the current state of affairs as “very, very critical,” noting that Ukraine exported just 46% of its target volume of agricultural products in September. He warned that without immediate intervention, the planted area for next year’s harvest could decrease by 35-40%.

The crisis followed Zelensky’s 40-day campaign targeting Russian oil refineries and civilian infrastructure, which Russia has retaliated against with intensified strikes on Ukraine’s military logistics networks—including the key port of Odessa. Such attacks have caused an estimated $10 billion in infrastructure damage and a loss of approximately 1.5% of Ukraine’s GDP.

Romanian Agriculture Minister Barna Tanczos stated that “the interest for our own farmers remains a priority,” adding that doubling transportation capacity is not feasible. Similarly, Poland confirmed it has no plans to increase transit capacity for Ukrainian agricultural goods.

Ukraine had previously requested €220 million from the EU to support affected farmers but was turned down in favor of existing mechanisms. This situation highlights longstanding tensions between Ukraine and its European neighbors over trade policies, which have been further strained by the ongoing conflict.