The harsh conditions in the area, including sub-zero temperatures, scarce food supplies and a lack of sanitary services, have raised serious security concerns, with reports of two Ukrainian drivers having died of natural causes while lingering inside their vehicles. (Poland says only one has died so far.)

I mentioned this back when it hit the news, referenced the COVID-19-related closure of the French border with the UK at Dover around Christmas 2020. Back then, the UK had its military set up basic facilities for the stranded truckers, parked them in blocks in paved areas, set up portable toilets, sent out free catering vans with food and drink. I said that whatever else is going on, it’s kind of important to get the truckers at the Poland-Ukraine border food, water, toilet facilities and possibly heat/fuel if it gets really cold, and that’s an immediate need. I also don’t think that Ukraine’s in a great position to be pulling off a ton of military people to deal with this, so getting them into Poland at minimum and parked off the highway somewhere as much as possible (because doing toilets strung out all along the highway is gonna be a mess) seems like it’d be important.

I don’t know if that should be Poland or Frontex or whoever that handles that, but it should get done.

The blockade also needs to be resolved, but independently of that, provision of essentials should be done, doesn’t need to wait for whatever resolution is associated with that, and it shouldn’t be controversial. If the Polish truckers running the blockade have a problem with that, they need to be moved. I’m not a big fan of these “blockade the road” things, but a number of countries in Europe seem to be comparatively-accepting of them; if that’s the political situation in this part of Europe, okay. But leaving people stranded without essentials is another story.