Grain issue in relations between Ukraine and the EU

Abstract

The paper focuses on grain issue in relations between Ukraine and the EU. The objective of the study is to reveal the reasons for the complication of relations between Ukraine and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe in the spring of 2023. To achieve the objective, the authors: 1) analyze which EU countries themselves have introduced separate restrictive meas-ures against Ukraine; 2) reveal the dynamics of the physical volumes of grain exports from Ukraine; 3) consider the legal aspect of the application of restrictive measures; 4) determine the consequences of measures, and 5) calculate Ukraine’s potential losses. It is underlined that the political step of the EU aimed at supporting the economy of Ukraine in the conditions of the war created additional pressure on the farmers of Central and Eastern European countries, because the warehouse system of these countries was not ready for a significant increase in supplies from Ukraine. The steps taken by the governments of some Central and Eastern Eu-ropean countries ran counter to their obligations as EU members and violated the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU. In addition, these steps created the preconditions for an institutional crisis in the EU. It is concluded that avoiding similar problems in the future requires a solution in the triangle Ukraine–European Commission–individual EU members.