Poles and Ukrainians are at loggerheads. That’s good news for Putin
Farm exports and freight are the problems
![Ukrainian farmers display conflict-damaged farming machines at border with Poland, Krakivets, Ukraine - 25 Feb 2024](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/content-assets/images/20240330_EUP501.jpg)
FLASHING BLUE lights shield protesting Polish farmers from the ten km-long line of Ukrainian lorries they are holding up at the Hrebenne-Rava Ruska border crossing. The drivers say they would waste little time in moving the protesters aside were the police not there. Huddled around a barrel fire, the farmers say they are only protecting their economic future; they do not want to be undercut by “under-regulated” Ukrainian grain. The drivers, some of whom have been waiting in freezing weather for weeks, ask what that has to do with the lorries carrying goods and humanitarian aid into Ukraine, which are also being held up. No one has an answer.
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This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “A neighbourly feud”
Europe April 6th 2024
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