EU ambassadors faced a significant hurdle on Wednesday as they refrained from endorsing an extension of trade liberalisation measures for Ukraine, raising concerns about potential repercussions for an upcoming summit aimed at reinforcing support for Kyiv in the face of Russia’s ongoing aggression.

The compromise, negotiated overnight, quickly unravelled as France and other member states expressed reservations, prompting a delay in the approval process.

Several countries requested additional time to evaluate the agreement’s implications, according to two European diplomats and one EU official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

This development comes as a setback on the eve of an EU summit, where leaders are poised to reaffirm their commitments to provide political, military, and economic assistance to Ukraine.

The compromise, forged through negotiations between the Council, the European Parliament, and the Commission, aimed to broaden import caps to encompass four additional agricultural products and streamline EU executive responses to import surges.

Despite efforts to accommodate Ukraine’s interests, concerns emerged regarding potential market destabilisation.

Notably, the decision not to extend the reference period for import caps to include 2021, a year with significantly lower imports from Ukraine into the EU, was met with resistance from France.

French Agricultural Minister Marc Fesneau emphasised that the agreement fell short of expectations, cautioning against compromising European market stability in the pursuit of solidarity with Ukraine.

France’s stance aligns with earlier calls from Poland for stricter import restrictions on Ukrainian products, reflecting broader concerns among European governments facing pressure from domestic stakeholders, particularly farmers.

The issue has become politically charged, with farmers protesting against what they perceive as unfair competition stemming from cheap imports and the regulatory burdens imposed by EU environmental policies.

Meanwhile, in a separate development, the European Parliament’s trade committee voted to approve the compromise, diverging from the customary procedure of awaiting ambassadorial endorsement.

This unexpected move introduces uncertainty, as any changes proposed by ambassadors during their upcoming session could necessitate a return to the negotiating table.

Despite the setback, negotiators remain optimistic about reaching an agreement before the expiration of the current measures in early June.

Click here for more on Ukraine at EU Today

________________________________________________________________________________________________________