Ukraine and the United Kingdom deepen cooperation in trade, investment and reconstruction

On 3 November, Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine Oleksii Sobolev held an online meeting with the UK Minister of State for Business and Trade Chris Bryant. Also present were the Deputy Ministers of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine Andrii Teliupa and Oleksandr Tsybort, as well as Francesca Scott, Director for Trade and Investment at the British Embassy in Kyiv.

During the discussion, the parties addressed the further implementation of the provisions of the 100-Year Partnership Agreement between Ukraine and the United Kingdom, and identified key areas of bilateral cooperation in the following fields:

• Investment and economic development. Ukraine and the United Kingdom agreed to strengthen coordination to attract British private capital into Ukrainian industry, technology, the agricultural sector, and infrastructure reconstruction.
• Trade and market liberalisation. The parties discussed further expanding access for Ukrainian products to the British market, including the continuation of zero tariffs on poultry and eggs. They also explored additional trade liberalisation opportunities in the agricultural sector to bolster the position of Ukrainian producers on the UK market.
• Support for small and medium-sized enterprises. It was agreed to expand cooperation on financial mechanisms to support entrepreneurs, including through British business development programmes.
• War risk insurance. The creation of joint investment insurance instruments was discussed to foster private sector growth and increase participation by UK Export Finance in Ukrainian projects.
• Public procurement. Ukraine and the United Kingdom will cooperate on introducing non-price evaluation criteria and improving procurement procedures.

“The United Kingdom wants to play an active role in Ukraine’s reconstruction. Our 100-year partnership and bilateral free trade agreement form the basis for long-term commitments. We are also working together on war risk insurance, improving procurement procedures, and providing support through UK Export Finance. We recognise the importance of trade liberalisation for the agricultural sector and aim to adopt this decision,” stated Oleksii Sobolev.

Additionally, the parties agreed to enhance coordination between the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine and the UK Department for Business and Trade to prepare a joint action plan for 2026 and to align further steps within the framework of the Ukraine–United Kingdom Strategic Dialogue, scheduled for November 2025.