Kyiv is set to initiate legal action against Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia due to their persistent refusal to lift a ban on Ukrainian agricultural products, as revealed by Ukraine’s Trade Representative, Taras Kachka, in an exclusive interview with POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook.

These bans, imposed by the three Central European nations, aim to shield their farmers from an influx of agricultural exports from Ukraine, particularly following Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea. Poland’s governing party is particularly determined to curb this flow, given its close ties to rural support bases ahead of the October 15 election, which have expressed discontent over increased Ukrainian agricultural exports.

Kachka emphasized the importance of establishing the illegality of these actions, stating that legal proceedings would commence soon. Kyiv is also preparing to respond by restricting Polish fruit and vegetable exports.

This defiance by Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia directly contradicts the European Commission’s decision last Friday to permit Ukrainian grain sales across the EU. In response, these three countries announced their intentions to impose their own bans on Ukrainian grain, viewing the Commission’s decision as a sign of distrust toward Brussels.

Kachka argued that this open defiance transcends the EU’s internal affairs and raises a significant systemic concern regarding whether international trade partners can rely on Brussels as the voice of the EU. He expressed concern over Budapest and Warsaw ignoring the EU’s position on trade policy, which could undermine EU unity.

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Kyiv’s plan is to take the matter to the World Trade Organization rather than relying on its trade agreement with the EU. Kachka believes that showcasing how EU member states behave towards trade partners and their own Union will have global implications.

Slovakia extended the EU’s previous grain ban, while Poland expanded its bans to include Ukrainian flour and feed. Hungary went even further by banning 25 additional products, including meat, which had not been discussed previously.

Kachka described these arbitrary prohibitions as unreasonable and accused Hungary of making a bold political statement aimed at blocking trade with Ukraine and disregarding Brussels. Poland’s added bans will significantly impact Ukraine’s exports, prompting Kyiv to consider retaliatory measures if these bans are not lifted.

Although Budapest’s additional bans are largely symbolic, as Ukraine does not export significant quantities of beef or pork to Hungary, Poland’s measures will affect a substantial portion of Ukrainian exports, according to Kachka. If Warsaw does not withdraw these additional bans, Kyiv may retaliate by imposing restrictions on the import of fruit and vegetables from Poland.

While Budapest and Warsaw argue that their actions protect their farmers from depressed prices caused by surging Ukrainian products, Kachka countered that these claims were flawed, asserting that Poland’s ban would not benefit farmers or affect prices due to their global nature.

In an attempt to resolve the dispute, Brussels has proposed that Kyiv impose its own export restrictions in the event of sudden surges. Kachka expressed Kyiv’s readiness to take on this responsibility, implementing a real-time export licensing system for grains to both slow exports to neighboring countries and allow swift responses to surges.

South Korea’s commitment to ensuring public safety in light of Japan’s planned release of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean involves an expansion of emergency seawater radiation testing along its coastline, as stated by the country’s Oceans Minister.

In July, South Korea initiated urgent radiation assessments at a total of 75 coastal locations spanning the eastern, western, and southern regions, including the waters near Jeju Island. This preemptive action preceded Japan’s scheduled release of “treated” radioactive water from the Fukushima plant, which suffered significant damage in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Minister Cho Seung-hwan elaborated, explaining that these selected locations were chosen due to their proximity to the expected path of the released water, primarily dictated by ocean currents. Furthermore, additional coastal spots, particularly in the East Sea, will be incorporated into the testing regimen to enhance safety measures.

Beyond these 75 locations within its territorial waters, South Korea is also conducting radiation testing at 33 points in more remote areas. The country intends to increase the number of testing sites to nearly 250 by the following year. The Minister affirmed that the emergency testing system will remain in place until public concerns are assuaged, and there is a consensus that no further testing is necessary.

Also Read: Ukraine Troops Retake Klishchiivka Village Near Bakhmut: Zelenskiy

Notably, all samples collected thus far have met safety standards, with no radiation detected in domestic seafood or imported marine products, according to Minister Cho. The South Korean government has mobilized officials and experts from various institutions, including the Korea Polar Research Institute, to carry out comprehensive testing. The quick turnaround time for analysis results—only a couple of days, according to a ministry official—ensures timely information for decision-making.

Addressing broader public safety concerns, South Korea has launched a 100-day intensive inspection, commencing in August, to verify the country of origin labeling for imported seafood products. This initiative aims to dispel any doubts about the safety of these products.

As a result of these actions, South Korean imports of Japanese seafood experienced a 34.8 percent decline in August compared to the previous year, amounting to $7.81 million, marking the lowest monthly figure in two years, according to government data. South Korea has maintained its ban on seafood imports from eight Japanese prefectures near Fukushima since 2013, in response to radiation concerns stemming from the 2011 nuclear meltdown incident, and has committed to retaining these import restrictions.

The President of Ukraine has announced the successful recapture of the strategically significant village of Klishchiivka, located on the southern outskirts of the crucial frontline city of Bakhmut.

In his nightly video address on Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed his admiration for the dedicated soldiers who have been steadily reclaiming territory for Ukraine in the vicinity of Bakhmut. He singled out the courageous troops responsible for retaking Klishchiivka and commended them with a resounding “Well done!” in his speech.

Zelenskiy also revealed that Kyiv was actively preparing new defense strategies for Ukraine, with a particular focus on air defense and artillery, although specific details were not disclosed.

Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar shared a video featuring Ukrainian forces proudly displaying national flags, including the blue and yellow national flag, against a backdrop of devastated buildings and ongoing combat sounds. She noted that Russia was persistently attempting to regain lost positions despite the liberation of Klishchiivka, emphasizing that they had to repel enemy attacks throughout the day.

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Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of Ukraine’s ground forces, corroborated the recapture of the village, which Russia had claimed control of in January. Klishchiivka, with a pre-war population of approximately 400, lies about 9 kilometers (six miles) to the south of Bakhmut, a city that fell into Russian hands in May after months of intense conflict. Syrskyi declared on social media that “Klishchiivka was cleared of Russians.”

Ilia Yevlash, a spokesperson for Ukrainian troops in the east, reported that the battle inflicted significant damage on Russian airborne units, the “Akhmat” battalion led by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, the Storm-Z unit comprised of Russian criminals, the Russian general staff’s military intelligence, and motorized rifle units. He added that this victory provided a base for further offensive actions aimed at liberating Ukrainian territory from invaders.

The recapture of Klishchiivka would facilitate Ukrainian forces in advancing more effectively toward Russian positions and delivering more precise artillery strikes, Yevlash explained.

Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, conveyed the sentiment that “Ukraine always gets its own back,” highlighting the significance of these battlefield successes as President Zelenskiy prepared for his second wartime visit to Washington to garner international support.

However, amidst these advancements, two prominent Western figures cautioned against overly optimistic expectations regarding a swift resolution to the conflict. Gen Mark Milley, the highest-ranking military officer in the United States, emphasized the formidable challenge of expelling Russian forces from Ukrainian territory and predicted a prolonged effort. Similarly, Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg warned that a quick resolution to the conflict was unlikely, citing the historical tendency for wars to endure longer than initially anticipated.

Klishchiivka is situated several kilometers to the north of Andriivka, which was recaptured earlier in the week. Both of these settlements had suffered extensive destruction during months of fierce fighting for control of Bakhmut.

Over the past several months, Ukrainian forces have been conducting offensives both to the north and south of the city in their efforts to dislodge Russian units.

Ukrainian military analysts underscored that the liberation of settlements in the Bakhmut vicinity would enable the military to advance from the southern flank and gain control of strategically important heights.

Kyiv initiated its pushback against Moscow’s forces in the southern and eastern regions of the country in June, bolstered by Western weaponry and the recruitment of assault battalions. Their initial focus was on the northern and southern flanks of Bakhmut, and since then, they have been steadily making incremental gains.