“I don’t think Ukrainian exports are destroying the EU farming sector,” Nivievskyi said. “It’s the CAP that undermines competitiveness. What we have right now in EU farming — I wouldn’t call it communism, but it’s definitely central planning.”
Smooth path to accession? Not so fast.
The timing of the dispute is critical. The EU’s temporary Autonomous Trade Measures allowing Ukrainian goods to enter the bloc duty-free expire in June, and the Commission faces a tricky balancing act: How to back Ukraine’s war-battered economy without inciting political backlash in eastern member countries already jittery over cheap imports.
The situation is further complicated by shifting policy in Washington, where President Donald Trump has signaled a willingness to push for an end to the war on terms that could include Ukraine’s ceding territory to Russia. The U.S. stance has amplified concerns in Kyiv about retaining solid access to the EU market, with Ukraine officials warning that losing trade privileges would undermine the country’s fragile economic recovery and hurt its goal of joining the EU.
Nivievskyi also fears the debate could damage Ukraine’s accession talks. “I hope the European Commission acts as a good moderator in this process because it has to balance different voices from member states and convert them into policy. But it’s clear that some governments will use trade disputes as leverage.”
For now, Brussels seems undeterred.
European Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, visiting Kyiv this week, promised a “smooth transition” once the ATMs end.
“We remain fully committed to swift implementation of mutual trade liberalization,” he told the Interfax agency.
“As you know, this will be a very delicate task for us, given the sensitivity of certain products to the markets of our member countries and, of course, the concerns of our farmers.”
This story has been updated with actuality on Thursday’s protests.