Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 9, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 24, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleUkraine's PM advocates for extending the EU permit-free trade regime to support its economy. Talks with EU officials are ongoing as the current agreement nears expiration.
KYIV (Reuters) - Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Wednesday it was vital for the country's economy to extend a permit-free freight regime with the European Union until at least the end of the year.
Introduced following Russia's invasion in early 2022, the regime - which allows Ukrainian cargo permit-free entry to EU markets - is set to expire on June 5.
Shmyhal told reporters that he had extensive discussions with European officials regarding the agreement during his visit to Brussels.
"We are extremely pragmatic while talking with European partners, we understand our level of responsibility," he said, adding that partners were listening to Ukraine.
Marta Kos, the EU's enlargement commissioner, said at the same press conference that the Commission would bring a solution before the regime expires.
The regime was designed to support Ukraine's war-ravaged economy, but has since sparked protests in several countries, such as Poland and Hungary, where producers complained that cheaper Ukrainian goods were hurting local producers.
(Reporting by Yuliia Dysa, Writing by Max Hunder; Editing by Alison Williams and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
The main topic is Ukraine's request to extend the permit-free trade regime with the EU to support its economy.
The regime allows Ukrainian goods to enter EU markets without permits, crucial for economic stability amid the ongoing conflict.
Some EU countries, like Poland and Hungary, protest as they claim cheaper Ukrainian goods harm local producers.
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