Ukraine seeks to extend duty-free trade with EU until end of 2024

Kiev, Ukraine | Xinhua | Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Thursday that his country is seeking to extend the duty-free trade with the European Union until the end of 2024, the government press service reported.

While speaking at a meeting with visiting Executive Vice President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis, Shmyhal noted that further deepening of trade relations with the EU is vital for Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia.

Shmyhal thanked the EU for the approval of the macro-financial assistance for Ukraine worth 18 billion euros (about 19.76 billion U.S. dollars) and called on Brussels to contribute to Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts.

This year, Ukraine would need some 17 billion dollars for the post-conflict recovery, he said.

For his part, Dombrovskis said that the EU would continue to fully support Ukraine.

The Ukraine-EU preferential trade regime, abolishing tariffs and quotas on Ukrainian industrial goods and foods, took effect in June 2022.