Ukraine seeks expanded grain transit and new regional cooperation via Poland

Ukraine is seeking to expand the use of Polish transit routes for its grain exports. Kyiv is currently in negotiations with Warsaw to increase the volume of grain passing through Polish ports to third countries. However, the Polish Ministry of Agriculture has expressed caution, citing the 2023 grain crisis. Deputy Minister Jacek Czerniak noted that the priority must remain the export of Polish farmers' goods, warning that intensive Ukrainian transit could lead to delays for domestic products.

Separately, Ukraine is advancing the Carpathian Integration Initiative (KII), a new regional cooperation format involving eight countries, including Poland, Austria, Czechia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Hungary. The initiative aims to strengthen economic, political, and infrastructural ties, with projects such as a hydrogen corridor and new transport routes. The development has raised questions in Warsaw regarding whether the KII serves as a competitor to the existing Three Seas Initiative, as Ukraine seeks a more significant role in Central European regional cooperation.