Ukraine is negotiating with Poland and Slovakia to relocate customs checks from the border into EU territory, aiming to shield grain-carrying lorries from Russian drone attacks. Long queues of trucks at the border have been repeatedly targeted, forcing Kyiv to reroute exports via road, rail, and river through the EU. The foreign ministry confirmed joint border control points with Moldova and plans to scale the model with other neighbors.
Since August, drone strikes have hit crossings with Romania, Moldova, and Poland, causing severe congestion—over 1,200 trucks waited at one Volyn crossing. Agriculture minister Taras Vysotskyi stated exports fell to 46% of capacity, with a hard ceiling of 45–50% without Black Sea access. Ukraine loses €60 million daily in revenue, per EU diplomat Kaja Kallas, facing a €70 billion budget gap in 2027.
President Macron emphasized restoring trade to sustain Ukraine’s war effort and feed global markets. The EU is expanding “solidarity lanes” to Africa and Asia, while the Commission assists Moldova in shifting customs operations. Despite a brief lull under the UN-Turkey grain deal, Russia has resumed port bombardments, cutting agricultural exports by half.
Source: Financial Times Markets · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing