Russian and Belarusian trucks are stuck in traffic at the European Union’s eastern borders as strict sanctions come into effect

Major trucking and shipping companies now have grave fears the measures will send a sector already on the brink of collapse to breaking point.

Transport vehicles in Poland are waiting in customs lines stretching for 40 kilometres and have been waiting there for between three and 10 days.

The newly-imposed ban prohibits all trucks operated by Russian or Belarusian companies from entering or remaining in the EU.

There are exemptions for hose carrying food, medicine, mail or energy.

The deadline is all part of the EU’s latest attempt to punish Russia and Putin for the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, but the consequences could be far more wide-ranging as supply chains are stretched to their limits.

It’s unclear what will happen to thousands of other trucks from the two countries estimated to still be on EU territory.