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Foreign trade figures of Ukraine

Foreign Trade in Figures

Ukraine is a very open economy, with a share of foreign trade in the country's GDP of 88% in 2022 (World Bank). Ukraine is the world's fifth-largest exporter of grains and one of the main exporters of iron and steel. In 2022, the main exported products were maze and corn (13.5%), sunflower (12.4% - the country being the n.1 exporter worldwide), iron ores (6.6%), and wheat and meslin (6%); whereas imports were led by petroleum oils (15.7%), vehicles (5.3%), petroleum gas (3.8%), medicaments (2.8%), and coal (2.1% - data Comtrade).

Foreign trade has been hardly hit by the conflict with Russia, which has traditionally been a major supplier of oil and gas, accounting for almost a quarter of the country's total imports. Ukraine is seeking to develop its trade relations with the member states of the European Union, with a view to emancipating from Russia. The EU and Ukraine have provisionally applied their Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) since January 2016. Furthermore, prior to the war, maritime transport had served as the primary export route for Ukrainian commodities, accounting for both value and volume. However, with the onset of the war, there was a shift, and road and rail transport saw increased importance, therefore Ukraine's land border crossings with EU countries, predominantly Poland, emerged as the primary routes for Ukrainian exports. In 2022, China accounted for 15.7% of Ukraine's imports, followed by Poland (9.9%), Germany (8.3%), Turkey (6.1%), and the United States (3.9%). Ukraine's main customers were Poland (15.1%), Romania (8.8%), Turkey (6.6%), Hungary and Germany (5.1% each - data Comtrade).

According to WTO data, Ukraine exported USD 44.3 billion and imported USD 55.2 billion worth of goods in 2022 (-34.1% and -24.1%, respectively); whereas exports of services declined by 12.4% to USD 16.16 billion and imports almost doubled to USD 27.1 billion. Therefore, the deficit of the external balance on goods and services widened to 16.8% of GDP in 2022, from 1.3% one year earlier (World Bank). The latest governmental estimates show that, in 2023, the value of exports fell by 18.7% y-o-y (to USD 35.8 billion). In contrast, imports in monetary terms increased to USD 62.2 billion.

 
Foreign Trade Values 20192020202120222023
Imports of Goods (million USD) 60,80054,33772,84355,29463,527
Exports of Goods (million USD) 50,05449,19268,07344,13436,040
Imports of Services (million USD) 15,71511,16414,42027,70325,189
Exports of Services (million USD) 17,46515,56418,39116,61816,401

Source: World Trade Organisation (WTO) ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Indicators 20182019202020212022
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP) 99.290.579.282.787.7
Trade Balance (million USD) -12,714-14,261-6,778-6,642-14,652
Trade Balance (Including Service) (million USD) -11,378-12,511-2,378-2,671-25,662
Imports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 2.85.7-6.414.2-18.5
Exports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) -1.47.3-5.8-8.6-42.4
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 54.049.340.342.052.3
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 45.241.238.840.735.5

Source: World Bank ; Latest available data

Foreign Trade Forecasts 20232024 (e)2025 (e)2026 (e)2027 (e)
Volume of exports of goods and services (Annual % change) -16.118.52.615.87.0
Volume of imports of goods and services (Annual % change) 21.111.09.29.310.0

Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook ; Latest available data

Note: (e) Estimated Data

 
International Economic Cooperation
Ukraine is a member of the following international economic organisations: Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM), IMF, Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone (BSEC), WTO, Eurasian Economic Community (EAEC) (observer), among others. For the full list of economic and other international organisations in which participates Ukraine click here. International organisation membership of Ukraine is also outlined here.
Free Trade Agreements
The complete and up-to-date list of Free Trade Agreements signed by Ukraine can be consulted here.
 

Main Partner Countries

Main Customers
(% of Exports)
2023
Poland 13.2%
Romania 10.4%
China 6.7%
Türkiye 6.5%
Germany 5.6%
See More Countries 57.7%
Main Suppliers
(% of Imports)
2023
China 16.4%
Poland 10.3%
Germany 8.0%
Türkiye 7.4%
United States 4.5%
See More Countries 53.3%

Source: Comtrade, 2024. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

Main Products

36.2 bn USD of products exported in 2023
Sunflower-seed, safflower or cotton-seed oil and...Sunflower-seed, safflower or cotton-seed oil and fractions thereof, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified 13.8%
Maize or cornMaize or corn 13.7%
Wheat and meslinWheat and meslin 8.1%
Iron ores and concentrates, incl. roasted iron...Iron ores and concentrates, incl. roasted iron pyrites 4.9%
Soya beans, whether or not brokenSoya beans, whether or not broken 3.5%
See More Products 55.9%
63.6 bn USD of products imported in 2023
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excl. crude); preparations containing >= 70% by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic constituents of the preparations, n.e.s.; waste oils containing mainly petroleum or bituminous minerals 12.3%
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 6.4%
Petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbonsPetroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons 3.0%
Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed...Medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed products for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, put up in measured doses "incl. those in the form of transdermal administration" or in forms or packings for retail sale (excl. goods of heading 3002, 3005 or 3006) 2.7%
Telephone sets, incl. telephones for cellular...Telephone sets, incl. telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks; other apparatus for the transmission or reception of voice, images or other data, incl. apparatus for communication in a wired or wireless network [such as a local or wide area network]; parts thereof (excl. than transmission or reception apparatus of heading 8443, 8525, 8527 or 8528) 1.8%
See More Products 73.7%

Source: Comtrade, 2024. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

 
 

To go further, check out our service Import-Export Flows.

 

Main Services

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, 2024. Because of rounding, the sum of the percentages may be smaller/greater than 100%.

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Latest Update: November 2024