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Ukraine intends to increase its exports even further in the approaching fourth year of the war begun by Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday in his daily video broadcast.<\/p>\n
The country had already succeeded in boosting exports by 15% in 2024, said Zelensky, emphasising that securing export routes across the Black Sea was crucial for foreign trade.<\/p>\n
The president put the value of last year’s exports at more than $41 billion.<\/p>\n
According to the economics ministry in Kiev, Ukraine’s main exports include sunflower oil, maize, wheat, soya and iron ore.<\/p>\n
Due to the Russian occupation of industrial areas in eastern Ukraine in particular, the agricultural sector has long replaced the metallurgical industry as the main export sector.<\/p>\n
Ukraine has been fending off a full-scale invasion by Russia since February 2022.<\/p>\n
Previously, in 2021, Ukrainian goods exports totalled the equivalent of almost $70 billion, according to the national statistics office.<\/p>\n
However, even before the war, Ukraine was the poorest country in Europe in terms of per capita income, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).<\/p>\n
In his address, Zelensky described Syria as a new partner and held out the prospect of resuming diplomatic relations with the country following the fall of the al-Assad regime in December.<\/p>\n
Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha had recently travelled to Damascus together with Agriculture Minister Vitaliy Koval to hold talks with Syria’s new rulers.<\/p>\n
Trade relations are also to be intensified with Lebanon and African countries, Zelensky said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n