Poland will no longer arm Ukraine and focus only on its own defense, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Wednesday. The Prime Minister made the remarks just hours after Warsaw summoned Ukraine’s ambassador over a dispute over wheat exports.

“We are no longer transferring weapons to Ukraine, because we are now arming Poland with more modern weapons,” Morawiecki said when asked by a journalist whether his country Kiev will continue to support despite differences of opinion regarding grain exports.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Poland has been one of its neighboring country’s closest allies. It is one of the main arms suppliers Kiev and provides protection for approximately 1 million Ukrainian refugees, who receive various forms of state assistance.

Poland was upset by statements made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday during a UN meeting in New York. He said the “political theater” surrounding wheat exports from his country only benefits Russia. Zelensky was referring to a ban on wheat imports from Ukraine imposed by Poland, Hungary and Slovakia.

According to Warsaw, putting pressure on Poland in the international arena such as the UN is not the way to resolve disputes between two allies. The countries also don’t need to fight at the World Trade Organization (WTO), Poland said. Kiev filed a complaint there on Monday about the behavior of Poland, Hungary and Slovakia.

Last spring, the European Union banned exports of Ukrainian agricultural products to several member states concerned about their own agricultural sectors. Last week the European Union announced it would stop this, but the three countries are continuing with the ban.

The issue is particularly sensitive in Poland, where elections will be held next month. Prime Minister Morawiecki’s right-wing populist ruling party, Law and Justice (PiS), is particularly strong in the agriculture-dependent region. (AP)