Additional restrictions on the import of Ukrainian food products to the EU may prolong the war.

The Minister of Agricultural Policy, Mykola Solsky, believes that attempts by France and Poland to expand restrictions on importing Ukrainian products to the EU “will increase the chances for the war to drag on.”

If Italy supports these countries on March 27, then the agreement on duty-free trade with Ukraine will most likely be amended, which will further limit the import of agricultural products from Ukraine, particularly wheat.

Solsky believes that increasing protectionism and subsidies is a poor decision for European farmers. Rather, they should work to become more efficient in order to compete in the global market.

In return, Hungary will not reimpose a ban on importing honey from Ukraine despite demands from beekeepers who consider imports a threat to their livelihood. The ban did not affect the Hungarian market, as wholesale purchase prices did not rise to what farmers had hoped for.

In 2023, Hungary banned the import of 24 agricultural products from Ukraine, including grain, pork, and honey.