Eastern European Countries Extend Bans on Ukrainian Grain Exports

Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia have announced their own bans on Ukrainian grain after the European Commission allowed its restrictive measure to expire. The ban, which applied to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, and Bulgaria, was put in place to protect farmers from cheap produce from Ukraine. Hungary has imposed an import ban on 24 Ukrainian products, while Poland and Slovakia have excluded specific agricultural products. Romanian farmers have also requested a ban on Ukrainian grain imports. The European Commission stated that Ukraine must ensure its grain exports do not distort neighboring markets. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy welcomed the EU's decision, while warning that Ukraine would respond if its neighbors' decisions were not neighborly.