European agrarians have anti-Ukrainian sentiment - Ukrainian official

MOSCOW. June 6 (Interfax) - Kiev has failed to overcome the antagonism of the European agrarian lobby that has anti-Ukrainian sentiment, Ukrainian Deputy Economy Minister, Trade Representative Taras Kachka said.

"The issue [of Ukrainian agrarian products' access to the European market] is more complex. [...] Obviously, judging by press releases of European farmer associations, what we see as our success is viewed as something [...] harmful for EU farmers. Unfortunately, we have yet to overcome this antagonism," Ukrainian media quoted Kachka as saying at the Agro Ukraine Summit 2025 in Kiev on Friday.

The attitude to the Ukrainian agrarian sector was the same in 2023 and 2024 when the prospect of further trade measures was discussed, he said.

"Our interest lies with integration into the EU domestic market [...] so that we have the same level of regulation and access. Obviously, that won't happen in a snap. There will a rather complex compromise between us and the European Union. We have no doubt that it will still happen, since both sides seek to achieve a result, and the negotiations will go on," Kachka said.

The discussion will address sugar, poultry, honey, eggs, dry milk, tomato paste and juices supplied to the EU markets in the amounts exceeding the tariff quotas of 2021, he said.

Ukrainian grains run the biggest risk at negotiations with the European Union, which causes "real panic" among Ukrainian agrarians and traders, Kachka said.

"I believe we will avoid this [panic], as we realize there will be no problems with returning such a commodity as corn to the EU market. Wheat, barley and other grains are still a big question. We are actually wondering whether a balance is possible. We will still try to achieve balanced and acceptable parameters," he said.