EU faces deadline on extending Ukrainian grain ban from 5 nations

Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria still allow grain and other food to pass through on the way to parts of the world in need

LONDON: The European Union faced a Friday deadline to decide whether to extend a ban on Ukrainian food from five nearby countries that have complained that an influx of agricultural products from the war-torn nation has hurt their farmers.

Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria still allow grain and other Ukrainian food to pass through on the way to parts of the world in need.

The five EU members have said food coming from Ukraine has gotten stuck within their borders, creating a glut that has driven down prices for local farmers and hurt their livelihoods.

The issue has threatened European unity on supporting Ukraine as it fights Russia's invasion.

The leaders of Poland and Hungary have called for a renewal of the import ban on Ukrainian agricultural products, threatening to adopt their own if the EU doesn't act.