Poland halts weapon exports to Ukraine amidst grain dispute

Poland, a strong ally of Ukraine, has decided to stop supplying weapons to the country amid an ongoing diplomatic dispute. The Polish prime minister stated that they would instead focus on acquiring more modern weapons for themselves. This decision comes as tensions between the two nations continue to escalate. The dispute began when Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, made comments at the UN that Poland deemed unjustified, considering their support for Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict. The disagreement also stems from a grain dispute, which arose after Russia's invasion of Ukraine disrupted shipping lanes and led to excess grain being sent to central Europe. As a result, the European Union temporarily banned grain imports into certain countries. While the ban has since been lifted by the EU, Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia have chosen to keep it in place. Ukraine has filed lawsuits against these countries at the World Trade Organisation, arguing that the bans violate international obligations. Despite the ban, Poland and the other two nations have stated that they will still allow grain to be transported through their territories to other markets. A study conducted by the European Union revealed that Ukrainian grain imports would not harm European farmers, leading France's Foreign Minister to express regret over the tensions between the countries.