REUTERS
The country almost doubled its exports to Vietnam and China last year.
Ukrainian Deputy Minister for Development of Economy, Trade, and Agriculture and Trade Envoy Taras Kachka says despite the coronavirus pandemic, Ukraine in 2020 traded with more than 230 countries, expanding the list of exported goods.
That is according to a statement published on the ministry's website on March 23.
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"Despite the spread of the pandemic and the associated global crisis, Ukraine in 2020 conducted trade operations with 234 countries and jurisdictions, opened a number of new markets and expanded the range of exports. The most important indicators are the phenomenal growth in exports of Ukrainian products to Vietnam and China, that is by 93% and 98%, respectively," the ministry's press service quoted Kachka as saying.
Improvement in the balance of foreign trade in goods and services is mentioned among last year's positive trends.
"Ukraine reduced the negative balance by US$3.4 billion. As a result, the negative balance was a mere US$255.5 million, with a 93.1% rate of improvement," the report said.
Noteworthy, a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Ukraine and the United Kingdom came into force on January 1, 2021.
Ukraine will also continue preparations for the conclusion of an Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products (ACAA/"industrial visa-free regime"), which will allow domestic products to enter the EU market without re-certification.
"Some 17 preliminary assessment missions have already been arranged. We're determined to sign the ACAA his year, which will cover almost one-fifth of Ukraine's exports to the EU," Kachka added.