The European Commission will ban Ukrainian grain and oilseeds exports to Romania until June 5, 2023, for Agriculture and Rural Development of Romania Petre Daea has said.

"Negotiations with the states are still ongoing. Romania will be protected through a European Commission decision, and will receive compensation for farmers," Petre Daea was quoted by Sky News after meetings in Brussels and Luxembourg.

Slovakia, Poland and Hungary halted imports of grain and other food products from Ukraine to protect its farmers.

With access to its own Black Sea ports blocked and later limited by Russia's invasion, Ukraine, one of the world's leading grain exporters, has had to find alternative shipping routes through neighbouring states.

"This has led to millions of tonnes of grains and oilseeds, cheaper than those produced in the European Union and exempt from customs tax, ending up in Central and Eastern Europe," the newspaper wrote.

Local farmers have complained that demand and prices of local products have become distorted as a result. The European Commission made concessions to countries which farmers suffered from surpluses of agricultural goods from Ukraine, agreed to ban the import of Ukrainian sunflower oil to Ukraine bordering countries, preserving its transit, and provided EUR 100 million to cover the losses of farmers.