Tooling, planting, fuel, refine teaching and helping transform lives. This is messy in action. This is human appeal. Is your opinion, public support for ukraine filtering. Angry farmers in poland and elsewhere protesting against chief imports from the war total country and governments are under pressure to take action. So what does this mean for ukraine is the war with russia interest . Its the yeah, this is inside story. The out of the im welcome to the program on jo, no, the European Unions been one of ukraines biggest back. Is it, its fight against russia. Among the many ways its given support is by reducing tariff. Sonya craig knew now quick agriculture lim ports, but now youre being farmers of pushing back. They say the livelihoods of being undermined by foreign competition, and they want trade barriers re imposed just as part of a big a backlash. And can you repeat . Indeed, as is discontent, while maintaining the support for ukraine will go to our panel in just a few moments, but 1st sent them on a hand. Has this report. Farmers in poland are angry, and theyre not the only one. Protest have been taking place in many parts of europe. Your regulations are part of whats during the unrest. But for many, the Biggest Issue is cheaper food enforce from ukraine that they say are under cutting their business. Not the good says, according to susan ukrainian. Green is flooding, poland and were getting poor and poor. We dont know what to do with our products anymore. Im. It doesnt wash it. Well, this is a pain. I want the government to take concrete decisions. We want the actions. I want the government to understand and help us financially, or to expose this grain from ukraine to countries in africa. For example, when russia it and they did you freight in 2022. The European Union stepped into how of it dropped the tires on agricultural imports, providing economic lifelines, the crating and economy. Since then, europe is also provided more than a 140000000000. 00, and 8. 00, and taking in millions of refugees bought 2 years on a backlash. Appears to be brewing with the war now entering the 3rd year, the farmers, one terrace, reimpose, poland to Prime Minister has acknowledged their concerns, but try to redirect their anger toward russia. Says it looks just as the user problem is not the risk. Um, it is not certainly a problem of grain and food imports from ukraine. A few people realize that all markets in europe and in poland is being de stabilized by products coming from russia and billers. So we need to take all possible measures to stop that. The you is going some way to meet the farmers concerns. I plan to extend a free trade arrangement with ukraine until 2025 will now allow emergency measures market distortions to come to great. And leaders are promising tariffs on russia and bel roost that they say will help stabilize prices. But its unclear whether thats enough to reduce the discontent and preventive bigger backlash against support for ukraine. Vince and mountain l to 0 for inside story. The were going to focus on the political implications of the story with our panelists from across western europe and also alexandra reuben. Scott, is a journalist and commentator as a twitter o x profile as a cheese unraveling western europe in t. Timothy miller von of is president of the keeps going to be comics, inform administrative, economic development, trade and agriculture. And joining us from brussels. Its suzanne lynch, associate editor with politico. Great to have you all here with us or i, lets begin alexandra reuben script with you as ukraine increasingly struggles to hold the line in the east against russia, across the border with poland in the west. Its essentially battling on the front now, among its closest allies, within the European Union ponies. Farmers are angry all day. Right. Do you think to be reacting in this way to be venting their anger at you crate in this way as well . I think that so this problem is not the discussion, the sale on channel, the trying, the cost of the conflicts in ukraine. I think most service palmers have nothing against helping you train this full. And the few people that appear at those farmers protests that you know, have any kind of co, russian of things to say of a very small minority farmers. And we, because they consider that the union meeting, the full shaping commission by turn loving this axis as well. You try to the Common Market to the market. Um huh. So thats fine. Was especially town and then theres the u. P. Green deal. That is also true match or to the in the nest. So most of this being off of pharmacy in the you, meaning environmental regulation and rules for security and on the one hand from is addresses to comply with all these regulations. On the other hand, the p union has no issue with lessing. Ukrainian brain often checks people, bring the training show that its not something you read the elections also just safety related stream and uncontrolled is the cellphone, is an angry about that. And the rustles and we of the 30 supplement 1st and foremost before the angry at you pray. So what theyre asking for is, and then bogu on your training info to excellence from the frame. Um, they asked the transit thing and raise the social products as well. Secured in a way that the grain is really going to the porch and then transport it for the way to wherever the means of your train. Oh, instead of being uploaded onto the coalition offices, i think the formulas will base of this. Okay, what to us . I mean, the amount of time it seems like a distinctly reasonable position for publish farms to take. Do you think ukraine is right to expect to be able to . So send its produce across the border into power into another you countries knowing that a portion of it is offloaded into local markets under, under cutting, local produces. So whats difficult for us in ukraine to understand is why a farmer separate test and ukraine, your name, present a protest and russian inverse which are going through pillars have been the recent investigation by journalists woke up so that at least 3 companies and followed up by a roster and grain russian agriculture dates and there are no protests of the border was belgiums, so thats one conflicting report. And the other one the protest small. But nonetheless, at the listing and border arguing that ukrainian brain somehow gets to see any of the results of russia and then gets expert to back to bowling from there, which is absolutely not true. And then of course, another aspect is how much of the grain gets in transit through gold and how much of the green space in poland. And i think the numbers on the public. And this is a little bit of difficult discussing because no one is willing to talk back. So i think there is a lot of misinformation and theres a, it has become a very political issue and you can feel that way of being unfairly punished as well. That issue of, of Agricultural Produce coming in from the bellows from russia is something that dont tell us the Police Problem is to, has raised suzanne, and then tell them to move on to you. What is the your opinions role in the weather conditions, role in all of this back in 1922, a 2022. They lifted quarters in paris at the beginning of the war to help you crane shift their agricultural projects, also to try and protect and present level food security. Since then, theyve set back and watched the situation disintegrate, unable or unwilling to properly come up with a solution. Is this a mess of the use making it . Is it the use job to fix it . I think the does have responsibility here, and i did say it had temporarily lifted that restrictions on some important. And again, its going to do so for another year. And its deciding that at the moment, and it has got by and for that, with some exceptions, that ukraine is always have surface free trade arrangements with the stretching back assume years. And its obviously not a member of the you, but it had a relationship with the which allow them to access markets to some extent. But this was a specific decision as a temporary, a lift this ad for these kind of products the, the issue now i think to the you is the fact that the 4 poll opponents have been one of the strongest supporters of ukraine since this war started in the early days of the war, poland and the bolts and countries at where the wooden side of india are to some of them are western countries saying, look, this is serious at this war may happen in ukraine. And the last needs to be aware of that. And then once the war started, poland was very important of your grades. So the very fact that, as i was told and that we see these uh, programs happening a voted against ukrainian imports. And agriculture is a worrying sign. I think that support for ukraine is not a steady, maybe as it was at the beginning of the war across europe. Right. So i think that for me then for your, for lead your opinion. Well, thats the precise point i wanted to pick up with you staying with you, susan, is that, i mean, its hard to deny that it has been a sluggish response by the you to these issues. Possibly because they feel they have their hands tied by governments within the you, as you say, we feeling protest possibly less inclined towards you credit than they did 2 years ago. What does this tell us about the state of feeling among you members towards you . Kind of what does it tell us specifically about the risk of a spill over into and to ukraine. Sentimental anti support of ukraine sentiment among publics within the block . Yes. So at the moment, i mean, and i think it, there is no doubt that its a difficult time. Few grain in this war, theres a stay in may with russia and theres a real fear. Now that typically after watching the elections that absolutely will send in the, you know, one way more, more troops at to the front line. And this bad news for you. Great. In terms of the, the military situation on the ground. And obviously a, its stalls coming from the United States that the, you have still a lot, thats a degree. The 50 been in euro a pack, a few paid recently. Countries like germany have really turned around our am a, giving it to japan would have ministry 8 know 2 f t paid. And even though in germanys caves it still exists and given these towers miss. So i was that you praise had an it desperately need on the main goal are showing that, you know, overall europeans are still at the very support of you praying the warranty tradesman. This war. However, i think whats interesting about this agriculture, an important issue is in this, as were reading, what would happen potentially, if the pain was ever to join the you. And thats really where the rubber hits the role here. You know, its easier for western European Countries to support ukraine, but they feel its not their problem. If you payments to join the you would then we could have that issue where you bought this huge concrete, but a huge agriculture and markets now become a part of the European Union. I think thats an issue for a lot of countries, which is perhaps why ahead of tune parliamentary elections. And the issue of accession has been parked for now. Alexandra ruben is good. I want to ask you about, as the sort of sentiment involves with in poland, with remembering that poland has taken in millions of refugees since the war began around a 1000000 and a half of actually settled the is the risk of their situation inside poland, becoming untenable, i dont think the situation will become untenable, but for the current government, which has been in power only since december, the cheese, remember, was the actual period of time. Its the coalitions of the 9 pause in this government which are very different political programs. So um, what keeps them together is the real poke, some kind of political change of how long it will last, nobody knows. And you have to present problems in this coalition. So 2 business policies and you have an intellectual manual calling and is something we have visual elections in naples we have you seen elections in june and then we have potential next. And especially in the regional directions. Well they have full child in the country side, and this is where the 2 cousins, awesome. So the Government Coalition actually get those from. So this is a very contentious issues at all. And i see what the government is trying to just trying to find the balance between healthy right and the same time satisfy the needs of the products. Farmers they makes you can send it to gp and they have cost would be like should quite last funds 20 percent of the people in the somehow working in the as a cultural section. So this is the difficulty that you have a political issues inside of countries. That is reason why the ukraine cannot change of status on this other social issue. Because for the printer, i think ive ever slept in some sense of what she said. Its equally important, thats why i dont believe the solution will be out soon and we have seen them both sides. The mental still didnt want visitors and asked me to come and discuss this issue on the 24th of february. Now which does events you would like to pass, this invite you to publish trusted those. Um, these are what we can see that this is actually becoming more and more contentious, quite as strong as a very small little of the training process. Huge. So all this creates some kind of distortion of coverage, a, sorry to interrupt, i have a talk to you about this balance thing of interest. So these balances are having to be weighed on both sides of the board, the Team Assignment amount of take us into this thinking in the ukranian political mind. President s, the landscape outraged, he was at the sight of ukrainian grain being spilt on road sides and rail sides by ponies, pharmacy quoted, a mockery of you cried. Hes got to walk. A very delicate line hasnt to your presidency lensky between trying to keep these markets open for revenue to be generated to be able to pay for the war. And at the same time, not alienating. Hes nearest his closest allies by undermining or dismissing the cuz concerns of the constituents. Yes, absolutely. So residential and skin ukraine is extremely grateful to the policy people for support. And this support is felt strongly, i recently was traveling through bought and it is there people all support people fuel crate. I think the situation was farmers is indeed unfortunate. But hospital, this is indeed the few brand new farmers in the shorter or the longer on that more competitive because they have more investment and capital historically. And they simply bring. 2 um, sometimes better quality on the same for you, but definitely the cost is lower. Now in principle, this benefit to consumers in particular, impala to, uh, having more competition. And uh, but it is version of course the producer spot info. So thats a typical, very classic example of Political Tension within any country where a local producer some more consolidated than consumers. And therefore they have more political spend. No, youre probably doesnt want to get into this at all. So we dont want to in any way, make it more difficult to figure out political compromises either within the u. O, as in paul a to or undermine to support within the, you know, for you. What we want to is to find a solution which would be a win win, and my view one bears my personal as an economist on is that people are looking at this a 0 sum game where its either bullet farmersville you printing and farmers. But in fact, they couldnt waste jointly into infrastructure investor jointly into storage because in the joint place in better products. And thats the required football season to step above the problem and find creative solutions. In fact, what we have seen is the new brand new grain transit simple and has been steadily decreasing all in the course of been werent exactly the cause of the book dates. And then in fact, it was an increase in through other doctors such as hallmark and some of the your investment and ukrainian investment in International Investments into infrastructure brands. In fact, all of the things have gone into bullet. So i think were in a very unfortunate 0, so im kind of political argument and well have to find a way to get out of this. Now the pictures on great be on the, on the, on the ground is probably a disturbing point out for us because 1st it brings us, the memories will follow the more insight or just the last century when rock that start up. And 2nd, we know how when i did bring under view styles and attacks, so people die, its really, its really insult. And so its, its really unfortunate. Im going to pop that issue up to hold onto more until the end of our discussion. Because i wanted to talk about the residences of history at the end, but just picking up on this idea of a 0 some political calculation happening. Suzanne lynch, you report from the heart of the you in brussels. There is this parliamentary election coming up in june. There is concern about 5 or fall right, a groups piggybacking of these fama protests and growing sentiment against ukraine and the war is it, the case that you create is essentially now taking back seat in the politics ahead of that parliamentary election and that it will suffer as a result of local politics concerns to do with the far right. I think on data the, the junior being part of the elections are way on. Every thing here in brussels at the moment. I think this is a reason why there are the new fi with caution from the European Commission from the European Commission president ers have underlying about how quickly to move forward with the next steps for ukraine joining the you do you need or state agreed to you know, give the green light to you. Craze joined the you even though everyone knows this well, im for every country takes years at. But there seems to be a sense of the difficult to slow down that at least. And even though theyre going to come forward with a proposal over the next month or so that any big decision by you, leader would be made after the elections because quite frankly, theyre worried about stoking any kind of an anti you vote in these elections. Holes are already showing that across the constant, we could see a surgeon support for right waiting fire right parties. And were seeing prop farmers protesting not just in poland, but all over europe, from road to paris to here in brussels. Weve seen a lot of very kind of violent approach thats here. The hard for the you with farmers annoyed not just about imports instant you, but also be use Green Climate policies that they say are very targeting them. So all of this is adding to a sense of anger from some part of the electric before the due to the actions. So i dont think theyre going to want to move forward in a significant way with ukraines membership bids after the you b