Polish protests cast doubt on Donald Tusk’s support for Ukraine – Politico

The publication writes that Polish farmers are protesting to pressure Tusk to ease their economic situation. It is noted that farmers’ protests continue throughout Europe, but they have become the biggest political challenge for the Polish authorities.

During his tour of Europe, Tusk told Macron and Scholz that he could not imagine a more pro-Ukrainian politician than himself. But at home, he faces a dilemma: whether to go all-in with his pro-Ukrainian message or to cave in to farmers who enjoy huge public support in Poland but put Kyiv in a difficult position.

The image of the Polish government as a spokesperson and defender of the Ukrainian cause has simply ceased to be credible. It is impossible to claim to be a leader of the Ukrainian cause in the world and Europe and at the same time allow such behavior at home

The Polish government has done little to stop farmers from taking their frustrations to Ukraine. Some officials, such as Deputy Agriculture Minister Michał Kolodziejczak of the populist Agronomy party, have added fuel to the fire by vowing to support the protests no matter what. Tusk is not intervening. He doesn’t want to risk further dividing the protesting farmers, as 77% of Poles support their demands.

The prime minister also needs to support farmers if he wants to win the regional elections in April, where the support of rural residents will be crucial.

Recall

Protests at the border have intensified in recent weeks. Earlier this month, protesters stopped three Ukrainian grain trucks heading to Lithuania, spilling some of the cargo. Last week, farmers in Wroclaw threw eggs at a poster calling for solidarity with Ukraine.

At the same time, Politico reminds that Tusk’s inaction is drawing criticism from Kyiv. Ukraine’s Agriculture Minister Mykola Solsky warned over the weekend that his government is considering imposing trade restrictions on Polish imports in response to the border disruption.