KYIV/WARSAW, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Ukraine and Poland said on Friday they were ready to try to resolve "problematic" issues in their relations, suffering especially by a Polish truckers' blockade of border crossings.

The pledge emerged from a meeting in Kyiv between Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Polish counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski, who was on his first official trip abroad.

Ukraine has counted Poland as one of its closest European Union allies as it has battled an almost two-year-old Russian invasion. Poland has given Ukraine humanitarian and military assistance and taken in millions of Ukrainian refugees.

But relations have been overshadowed by a protest blockade of several border crossings by Polish truck drivers, and what Kyiv has seen as a lack of initiative by the now former Polish nationalist government to resolve the problem.

Polish hauliers are angry over a loss of business to competition from Ukrainian truckers who have benefited from permit-free access to EU territory since the war began.

They want permits for Ukrainian truckers reinstated, something Kyiv and the European Commission say is not negotiable. The protests have resulted in economic losses for Ukraine and also affected vital volunteer military aid supplies.

At a joint news conference, Kuleba said the visit by Sikorski - a member of Poland's new centrist, pro-EU cabinet -showed there would be a meaningful and mutually respectful dialogue between the countries.

"We started with the need to resolve problematic issues in bilateral relations. And there is a desire to solve these issues on both sides. We need to sit down and talk in detail in order to find balanced, legally-sound solutions," Kuleba told reporters after talks with Sikorski.

Sikorski said the countries must restore conditions for fair competition so that everyone benefited from trade and transport.

"There are always some issues to be resolved between neighbours related to history or current affairs. That's why I brought the minister of transport and minister of agriculture (here too)," he said.

The Ukrainian farm ministry said earlier on Friday that the countries had already held online talks.

The Polish foreign ministry spokesperson said earlier that Sikorski would present another aid package during his visit and also meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

An air raid siren sounded during the news conference in Ukraine's capital, which was targeted by another large-scale Russian drone attack in the night.

"This alarm you hear is the reason why I am here. It is unacceptable... In this titanic fight, Poland is on your side," Sikorski said.

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/polish-minister-visits-ukraine-present-aid-package-2023-12-22/