Polish officials offer to buy port in Odessa
Poland's Deputy Minister of Agriculture said that the country should buy or lease a port in Odessa (Ukraine) for 50 years.
According to RIA Novosti on April 4, Polish Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Michal Kolodziejczak said that Poland should buy or lease a port in Odessa, Ukraine.
“We must have a Polish vision regarding Ukraine. But I have not heard anything concrete from anyone yet. Why don’t we discuss in Poland what I would like to propose right now – for example, the Ukrainians leasing for 50 years or selling us a pier where the Poles could have their own grain port?” – Deputy Minister Kolodziejczak said, suggesting buying or leasing such a port in Odessa.
“For example, in Odessa, where Polish grain will be delivered, European grain, and in this way we will have access to the Black Sea, where a ton of wheat for African countries costs on average 100 zlotys (more than $25) more because transportation costs there are lower,” Kolodziejczak said.
He also wants Ukraine to allocate half a million hectares of land to Polish farmers for livestock farming.
“Half a million hectares in Ukraine are for livestock farms. They could allocate at least half a million hectares for Polish livestock farms,” said Kolodziejczak.
At the same time, Poland's Deputy Agriculture Minister denied that his proposal was inspired by the policy of US President Donald Trump - who wants to gain control of rare earth metal mines in Ukraine.
"No. This is my original idea, not inspired by any opinion," the deputy minister said.