A delegation of Ukrainian business representatives, led by the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Taras Kachka, is currently visiting Belgrade. The signing of a joint statement on the continuation of negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement between the Government of Serbia and the Government of Ukraine is expected.
Ukraine is the only country in Europe with which Serbia has not signed a Free Trade Agreement. Negotiations began in 2005 as part of Serbia’s accession process to the World Trade Organization.
At the end of last year, the Ukrainian side renewed its interest in continuing the negotiations and submitted a draft framework for conducting them.
“Despite the crisis Europe is facing, it remains our key foreign trade partner. However, it is also important to open up new markets. I believe that by the end of the year we will complete all negotiations so that we can begin active cooperation in 2027,” said Jagoda Lazarević, Serbia’s Minister of Domestic and Foreign Trade.
Who took part in the forum
In addition to Serbian participants, the Serbian-Ukrainian Business Forum was attended by 12 Ukrainian companies from the sectors of agriculture, river transport and logistics, mineral fertiliser production, trade, the electrical industry, and the metalworking industry.
“We are highly ambitious about concluding the Free Trade Agreement this year for many reasons. The first reason is the need for trade exchange,” said Taras Kachka.
In the first quarter of this year, trade in goods between Serbia and Ukraine amounted to 152.8 million US dollars. Serbia recorded a trade surplus of 36.8 million US dollars in that exchange.
(RTS, 21.05.2026)
https://www.rts.rs/lat/vesti/ekonomija/5954788/taras-kacka-ukrajinsko-srpski-forum.html