INFLUENCE OF THE EU-UKRAINE SOLIDARITY LANES INITIATIVE ON THE TRANSFORMATION OF RAILWAY GRAIN EXPORT LOGISTICS IN UKRAINE IN 2022-2025

Abstract

The article examines the influence of the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes initiative on the transformation of railway logistics for grain exports from Ukraine during the period 2022-2025. The relevance of the study is determined by the profound disruption of traditional export logistics caused by the full-scale war, which resulted in the blockade and severe restriction of operations at the Black Sea ports. Prior to 2022, the overwhelming majority of Ukrainian grain exports were transported through the ports of the Black Sea basin, forming a stable port-oriented export model. The loss of this infrastructure created a significant logistical crisis and required the rapid development of alternative transport routes to ensure the continuity of agricultural exports and maintain Ukraine’s role in global food supply chains. In response to these challenges, the European Union launched the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes initiative, aimed at establishing alternative land transport corridors for the export of Ukrainian agricultural products through the territory of EU member states. The purpose of this study is to analyze how the functioning of the Solidarity Lanes affected the structure of transport flows and the organization of railway grain transportation in Ukraine. The research examines the prerequisites for the creation of these corridors and analyzes their transport structure, which combines railway routes to European Union countries, the use of Danube ports, and transshipment operations at border logistics hubs. Particular attention is paid to the role of major border railway nodes such as Chop, Mostyska, Izov and Yahodyn, which became critical elements in maintaining cross-border freight flows during the initial phase of the war. The study demonstrates that in 2022 the launch of the Solidarity Lanes led to a rapid increase in pressure on border crossings, expansion of grain transshipment operations, longer turnaround times for grain wagons, and a decentralized structure of shipment organization. In 2023 the railway transport system gradually adapted to the new logistics environment through the formation of route trains, the concentration of cargo flows at key hubs, and the growing importance of the Danube export direction. The partial restoration of maritime shipping in 2024-2025 resulted in a gradual decline in the relative importance of land corridors and the re-emergence of a port-oriented export model. The findings indicate that the Solidarity Lanes played a significant role in shaping a multimodal grain export logistics system, where railway transport acts as a key feeder mode delivering cargo to seaports, river terminals and border logistics hubs. The results of the study may contribute to improving the organization of international grain transportation and to the further development of Ukraine’s transport infrastructure within the framework of its integration with the European transport network