Truckers from Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia have been blocking border checkpoints with Ukraine to protest the high prices they must pay for travel permits while their Ukrainian counterparts aren't required to.
The Gateway Pundit compiled reports from various outlets that paint a timeline of the situation, beginning when the European Union suspended Ukranian transport permits after the Russian invasion until June 2024 in an effort to aid the country's struggling export industry.
But because they are relieved of the expense, Ukrainian truckers have been offering lower delivery prices around Europe.
The truckers from its neighboring countries, still required to purchase expensive permits, demand that the EU reinstate permits for Ukrainian drivers. The Hungarians were the latest group to join on Monday.
The Association of Hungarian Road Carriers says the protests are to "draw the attention of the European Commission and the Hungarian Government to the seriously market-distorting effects of the agreement between the European Union and Ukraine and Moldova, partially liberalizing road freight transport, which put many Hungarian businesses in a critical situation."
The EU and Ukraine are expected to meet on Dec. 18 to discuss the issue.
Polish truckers were the first to take action beginning Nov. 6. The Union of Slovak Haulers joined at the beginning of December. The blockings, as Bloomberg reports, are "triggering pileups of tens of thousands of vehicles on both sides of the border in freezing temperatures."
The truckers have said their protests will continue until Ukraine's permit requirements have been reinstated, however, Kyiv and the EU have said the issue is non-negotiable.
To bypass the blockings, trucks have been transported on trains. Kyiv has said that Ukraine's military campaign has been hurt, as trucks carrying supplies for soldiers have been blocked by the protesters.
The Gateway Pundit compiled reports from various outlets that paint a timeline of the situation, beginning when the European Union suspended Ukranian transport permits after the Russian invasion until June 2024 in an effort to aid the country's struggling export industry.
But because they are relieved of the expense, Ukrainian truckers have been offering lower delivery prices around Europe.
The truckers from its neighboring countries, still required to purchase expensive permits, demand that the EU reinstate permits for Ukrainian drivers. The Hungarians were the latest group to join on Monday.
The Association of Hungarian Road Carriers says the protests are to "draw the attention of the European Commission and the Hungarian Government to the seriously market-distorting effects of the agreement between the European Union and Ukraine and Moldova, partially liberalizing road freight transport, which put many Hungarian businesses in a critical situation."
The EU and Ukraine are expected to meet on Dec. 18 to discuss the issue.
Polish truckers were the first to take action beginning Nov. 6. The Union of Slovak Haulers joined at the beginning of December. The blockings, as Bloomberg reports, are "triggering pileups of tens of thousands of vehicles on both sides of the border in freezing temperatures."
The truckers have said their protests will continue until Ukraine's permit requirements have been reinstated, however, Kyiv and the EU have said the issue is non-negotiable.
To bypass the blockings, trucks have been transported on trains. Kyiv has said that Ukraine's military campaign has been hurt, as trucks carrying supplies for soldiers have been blocked by the protesters.
