Gigantic truck line forms on Poland-Belarus border as drivers leave before EU sanctions deadline

Some of the semi-trucks had been stuck for up to 33 hours.
Truck driver protest in Washington, D.C.
By Madeleine Hubbard

A line of trucks at the Poland-Belarus border streched across 60 miles on Saturday before the European Union's sanctions deadline went into place banning most trucks from Russia and Belarus.

Some of the semi-trucks had been stuck for up to 33 hours on Saturday, the BBC reported. 

The EU will only allow trucks in from Russia and its close ally Belarus if they are carrying medicine, mail or petroleum products. This is part of harsher sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Even after the deadline, trucks were still waiting 12 hours to leave Poland and hundreds of vehicles remained at the border. 

It is unclear what will happen to thousands of Russian and Belarusian trucks that were unable to leave the EU in time.

A Polish official expressed concern that if the trucks are seized by EU authorities, similar measures will be taken against Polish trucks in Russia and Belarus.