On 9 July, the 2nd International Trade Forum took place in Kyiv, serving as the platform for the official launch of Ukraine’s Export Strategy to 2030 — a document approved by the Cabinet of Ministers ofUkraine in June 2026.
The forum brought together representatives of the government, the business community, international partners and the expert community to discuss practical steps for implementing the strategy, developing Ukrainian exports and deepening Ukraine’s integration into the European Union’s single market. 
Last year, during the first International Trade Forum, the draft Export Strategy was presented to participants. This year, the focus is on the already approved document, its key priorities, implementationmechanisms and joint actions by the state, business and international partners necessary to achieve the ambitious goal of doubling Ukrainian exports by 2030.
“Since 2022, we have been writing our own story of how trade can survive in wartime, how it can quickly reorient itself, establish new partnerships and develop, come what may,” emphasised Taras Kachka, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine.
In his opening address at the forum, Taras Kachka noted that the approval of the Export Strategy marked an important milestone for Ukraine, as the document is based on the real-world experience of Ukrainian businesses. According to the government official, Ukrainian companies have not only reoriented their logistics and sought out new markets, but have also gradually transitioned to a model in which higher added value of products, the search for new market niches and closer cooperation between business and the state are becoming key competitive advantages.
Oleksii Sobolev, Ukraine’s Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture, emphasised that the launch of Ukraine’s Export Strategy to 2030 marks a new phase in the development of Ukrainianexports and lays the foundation for long-term state policy in the areas of international trade, economic recovery and Ukraine’s preparation for membership of the European Union. He noted that, despite the challenges posed by a full-scale war, Ukrainian businesses continue to open up new markets, and the state’s task is to support the transition from raw material exports to products withhigher added value.
“$85 billion by 2030 is more than double today’s figures. But, as 2021 has shown, this is no fantasy; these are real figures that we know how to achieve,” said Oleksii Sobolev.
At the same time, the Minister stressed that achieving this goal requires the consolidation of efforts by the state, the business sector, international partners, financial institutions and business associations. That is why he announced the expansion of the ‘SME Alliance’ into the ‘SME and Export Alliance’ — a coordination mechanism that will ensure international support is aligned with the priorities of the Export Strategy and will facilitate more effective cooperation between partners. 
Stefan Schleuning, Head of Cooperation Programmes at the EU Delegation to Ukraine, said that the European Union would continue to support Ukraine’s economic integration and the development of its export potential. According to him, Ukraine’s progress towards EU membership opens up new opportunities for Ukrainian businesses, and practical steps along this path should include, in particular, the implementation of the ACAA Agreement (‘industrial visa-free regime’) and accession to SEPA, which will simplify Ukrainian enterprises’ access to the single European market.
“Trade between Ukraine and the EU has more than doubled over the last decade, reaching over €68 billion in 2025. This demonstrates the strength of closer integration, but also the enormous untapped potential. The recently adopted Export Strategy will help turn this potential into reality,” said Stefan Schleuning.
Katrin Buchholz, Chargé d’Affaires of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ukraine, welcomed the launch of Ukraine’s Export Strategy to 2030 and reaffirmed Germany’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s European integration. According to her, the continuation of reforms, as well as the independence and transparency of institutions, have a direct impact on investor confidence, expanded market access and the development of international trade. 
“Trade and integration are two sides of the same process. Reforms strengthen investor confidence and market access,” emphasised Katrin Buchholz.
Ms Buchholz noted that Germany had supported the development of the strategy through the EU4Business and STEP IN 2 EU programmes and would continue to provide support during its implementation. She also reported that, following the Ukraine Recovery Conference, Estonia and Lithuania had joined in co-financing the STEP IN 2 EU programme, and that one of the next steps would be to coordinate international donor support for the implementation of the Export Strategy.
During the forum, participants discussed how to turn the launch of Ukraine’s Export Strategy to 2030 into a practical action plan for the state, business and international partners. The focus was on restoring export potential in the context of the war, increasing the share of high value-added products, integrating Ukrainian companies into the EU single market, removing trade barriers, developing financial instruments, insuring against war risks, digitising export procedures and strengthening institutional support for business.
It was also discussed that the strategy should not only set out ambitious goals but also serve as a working framework for joint projects. Priorities include developing the production of export-ready goods, entering new markets, partnering with European companies, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, promoting the ‘Made in Ukraine’ brand, and creating conditions under which Ukrainian exports can grow in a systematic and predictable manner.
A recording of the forum is available here: https://www.youtube.com/live/SdgC4ofqk8o?si=Qfa8H9EjXMp-IXBv
The 2nd International Trade Forum was held by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine. The forum was organised with the support of the NGU ‘Foundation for Support of Reforms in Ukraine’ within the international cooperation programme STEP IN 2 EU, which is co-funded by the German and Norwegian governments, as well as by the European Union under its EU4Business initiative, with the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
