On Tuesday, the Slovak border crossing with Ukraine was blocked by Ukrainian truckers, according to police and media reports. However, the Slovakian truckers’ union distanced itself from the blockade, claiming it was the work of only one truck. The Slovak transport union UNAS reported that a truck blocked the Vysna Nemecka crossing on Tuesday. Union president Stanislav Skala told Reuters by phone that the union would wait for talks by EU, Polish, and Ukrainian officials before officially joining the blockades of Polish colleague.

Truckers from Ukraine have been exempted from permits to cross the border since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Polish and Slovak carriers warn that this is harming their business. Miloslav Tokar of the Slovak border police stated that the truckers blocked the border crossing at noon and were only letting a limited number of Ukrainian trucks cross. According to TASR, a Slovak News Agency, an unknown person blocked cargo traffic without any warning.

Ukrainian customs announced on Telegram that “unknown persons blocked cargo traffic without any warning”. However, they also added that Ukraine had not received any official information from the Slovak side. She said that the Slovak side would start releasing trucks at 8 p.m., five per hour.

Last week, Ukrainian authorities announced that about 3,000 mostly Ukrainian trucks were stuck on the Polish side of the border due to blockades by Polish and Slovak carriers who are trying to limit the number of Ukrainian trucks entering the EU.

The situation has been tense for several months since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The international community has been trying to find a solution to help both Poland and Ukraine while also addressing concerns about security and economic stability in Europe.

In conclusion, while there may be different opinions about how to handle this issue, it is important for all parties involved to come together and find a solution that benefits everyone involved.