The European Union has once again extended its agreement with Ukraine that allows Ukrainian freight haulers to enter the bloc without needing transport permits—a move that’s stirring tension among some of its own members.
The deal, originally struck in 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion, will now stay in place through the end of this year, marking its fourth extension.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba welcomed the decision, calling it a crucial win for Ukraine’s embattled economy and a lifeline for its exporters struggling under the weight of war.
But not everyone’s celebrating.
Transport companies in EU nations like Poland and Slovakia have been up in arms over what they see as an uneven playing field. They’ve accused Ukrainian truckers of undercutting local firms by offering lower rates and, in some cases, allegedly bending the rules by hauling goods within the EU, rather than just between Ukraine and EU countries—a violation of current transport regulations.
This friction has already led to border blockades and growing frustration among Eastern European logistics firms, who feel their complaints are falling on deaf ears in Brussels. Despite the uproar, the European Commission hasn’t shown much sympathy toward EU truckers’ concerns.
Adding to the political turbulence, Hungary’s government has sounded the alarm over what it sees as a fast track toward Ukraine’s EU accession. On April 10, Gergely Gulyás, Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office, warned that the policy shift poses significant risks to Hungary’s economy, farming sector, and national security.
With the EU walking a tightrope between supporting Ukraine and appeasing its own members, this extended transport deal may be just the latest flashpoint in an increasingly complex geopolitical puzzles.
