Five European countries will extend ban on Ukraine's grain but let it head to other places

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Five European Union countries will extend their ban on Ukrainian grain to protect their farmers’ interests, their agriculture ministers said Wednesday, but food can still move through their land to parts of the world in need after Russia pulled out of a deal allowing Black Sea shipments.

The ministers of Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania signed a joint declaration in Warsaw ahead of EU discussions on the matter planned next week in Brussels. The declaration said they support continuing to allow Ukraine's grain to move through their countries by road, rail and river to destinations where it is needed but will keep the import ban to their countries through 2023.

“This coalition is not against anyone, not against Ukraine or the EU, it is in the interest of our farmers,” Polish Agriculture Minister Robert Telus said after meeting with his counterparts and deciding to push the ban beyond a Sept. 15 deadline.

Except for Bulgaria, all the countries border Ukraine, which faced a major blow Monday when Russia pulled out of a breakthrough accord brokered by the U.N. and Turkey to allow food shipments through the Black Sea to countries where millions are going hungry. Ukraine is a major exporter of wheat, barley, vegetable oil and corn.