New York, 23 September 2023 (dpa/MIA) - In the dispute over the grain trade, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has stepped up his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's recent remarks at the UN General Assembly debate in New York.

"I want to tell President Zelensky that he must never insult Poles again, as he did the other day during his appearance at the United Nations," Morawiecki said on Friday evening, according to the PAP news agency.

The recent sharp rhetoric out of Poland comes just weeks ahead of the Polish parliamentary elections on October 15.

The European Commission recently decided not to extend its ban on Ukrainian grain imports that applied to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria.

Poland, Slovakia and Hungary then decided to go their own way and impose restrictive measures themselves, saying they needed to protect their farmers from competition from significantly increased imports from Ukraine.

Alluding to this, Zelensky said at the UN that he was alarmed by how "a political theatre" over grain imports between allies was playing out in Moscow's favour.

Morawiecki stressed that Ukraine is fending off a Russian invasion - a war that is being waged for the security of Europe.

Europe's priority should be to arm itself and should help by transporting weapons to Ukraine, Morawiecki added.

The logistics hub in Rzeszow in south-eastern Poland is operational and will continue to work in cooperation with the allies, he said.

Ukraine is a major grain producer but is struggling to export it due to Russia's blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea ports.

Ukraine has been fending off a full-scale Russian invasion for 19 months. Because of the ongoing war, usual exports by sea from Ukraine's Black Sea ports have almost come to a complete standstill.

Photo: MIA archive