Poland Says It’s No Longer Arming Ukraine Amid Grain Spat

The position marks a significant shift as Warsaw has been a major supporter of NATO's proxy war

by Dave DeCamp Posted on September 20, 2023

https://news.antiwar.com/2023/09/20/poland-says-its-no-longer-arming-ukraine-amid-grain-spat/

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Wednesday that Poland is no longer arming Ukraine, marking a significant shift as Warsaw has been a staunch supporter of the NATO proxy war with Russia.

Morawiecki’s comments come amid a spat between Warsaw and Kyiv over a Polish ban on Ukrainian grain. When asked if the dispute would impact Polish support for Ukraine, Morawiecki said, “We are no longer transferring weapons to Ukraine, because we are now arming Poland with more modern weapons.”

He insisted that Warsaw had no intention of risking “the security of Ukraine” and that weapons shipments from other countries transiting through Poland would not be interfered with. Poland has become the primary hub for NATO arms shipments into Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion.

Throughout the war, Poland led the charge when it came to NATO escalations in support for Ukraine. Military aid Warsaw has provided includes hundreds of Soviet-made tanks and about a dozen Soviet MiG-29 fighter jets. Poland was also the first NATO country that said it was willing to arm Ukraine with German-made Leopard tanks.

Despite all the support, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took a shot at Poland and two other EU countries for maintaining a ban on Ukrainian grain. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the disruption of Black Sea shipping, there’s been an influx of Ukrainian grain shipments into the EU.

Earlier this year, the EU agreed to restrict the import of Ukrainian grain to Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia over complaints from farmers about a drop in prices. Last week, the EU said it would lift the restriction, but Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia said they would continue banning Ukrainian grain from their markets.

At the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Zelensky accused the countries of helping Russia. “Alarmingly, some in Europe play out solidarity in a political theater — turning grain into a thriller. They may seem to play their own roles. In fact, they’re helping set the stage for a Moscow actor,” he said.

Ukraine has also said it will lodge a complaint to the World Trade Organization. In response to the Ukrainian criticism, Morawiecki said, “We were the first to do a lot for Ukraine, and therefore we expect our interests to be understood. We will defend our interests with all determination.”