Britain would be on the brink of putting devastating tariffs back onto Ukrainian produce in a major hit to the war-torn country’s economy had we not left the EU, ministers have warned.
Tories today praised Brexit and pointed to the UK’s ongoing steadfast backing of the country, unaffected by EU rows, as another major benefit of leaving the bloc.
The comments came amid calls within the EU by France and Poland to suspend curbs on Ukrainian food imports into the EU.
Yesterday Ukraine’s agriculture minister Mykola Solskyi warned that any additional restrictions would hit his country’s fragile economy and “increase the chances that the war will drag on”.
Amid pressure from angry farmers, Warsaw and Paris have been leading calls to toughen up a deal struck last week that would put caps on many Ukrainian imports, in return for extending a tariff-free regime.
The political pressure from the two major EU member states comes after farmer protests in Poland, who have blocked the border with Ukraine, and growing anti-Ukraine sentiment in France.
The EU’s 27 ambassadors will meet next week to finalise the new farm imports deal, which currently includes cuts worth more than €400 million over the next year.
The Franco-Polish proposal would reduce this by another whopping €800 million, adding Ukrainian cereal to the list of restricted imports, and lowering caps on poultry, eggs, sugar, oats, maize, groats and honey.
Today British politicians said the Brexit is allowing Britain to continue helping Ukraine with tariff-free, quota-free imports, and is preventing EU squabbles from influencing that support.
Trade minister Greg Hands warned: “If we were still in the EU, we would have to follow suit”.
He added: “We in the UK have done the right thing, extending our tariff-free, quota-free imports from Ukraine for another 5 years, and 2 years for eggs”.
Meanwhile Defence Minister Grant Shapps proudly declared: “The UK has done the right thing by extending our tariff-free, quote-free imports from Ukraine for most goods for another 5 years”.
Mr Shapps called on Europe to “follow suit to defend freedom and democracy against the invasion of sovereign Ukraine by dictatorial Putin”.
This afternoon, a Department for Business and Trade spokesman told the Express that the UK has gone “further than any other country” to support Ukraine by removing tariffs.
“This is alongside signing a Digital Trade Agreement to underpin Ukraine’s transition to a digitally-led economy, and the launch of the UK-Ukraine TechBridge to promote collaboration between tech companies from our two countries”.
“We will continue to do everything we can to support Ukraine at this vital time.”
According to the Financial Times, diplomats say next week’s crunch EU vote will be in the hands of Italy.
If Rome backs Poland and France, other member states will have to agree on the more harmful Ukrainian tariffs.
