Zelenskyy proposes free trade agreement with US, details unveiled

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed concluding a free trade agreement with the United States in a letter to US President Donald Trump, outlining new opportunities for cooperation in the defence industry and trade.

Source: Taras Kachka, Deputy Economy Minister and Ukraine's Trade Representative, in a comment to Interfax-Ukraine

Details: Kachka emphasised that Kyiv is interested in such an agreement, even though the US is not Ukraine's largest trading partner.

Quote: "But we are interested in free trade agreements with all G7 countries. We already have deals with the United Kingdom, Canada and the European Union. We still need the US and Japan." 

Details: The minister explained that more and more manufacturers are shaping their sales strategies around the wealthiest and most developed markets, where quality standards are higher, resulting in greater added value and profitability.

Quote: "From this perspective, it's important for us to focus on the opportunity to export to the US and, accordingly, to have a free trade agreement in place."

Details: In his view, the creation of the US-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund lays the groundwork for potentially signing such an agreement. "That’s why I think this could be of interest to the US – but we shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves. We’re still only at the initial stages in this direction," the trade envoy concluded.

Background: The Ukrainian Parliament ratified the agreement establishing a joint investment fund between Ukraine and the United States.

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