The Verkhovna Rada has ratified the free trade agreement between Ukraine and Turkey, which was signed back in February 2022.
A total of 236 MPs voted in favor of the corresponding law on the ratification of the Free Trade Agreement between the government of Ukraine and the government of the Republic of Turkey on Tuesday, with a required minimum of 226 votes, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reports.
As reported, following 12 rounds of negotiations and a series of expert consultations during 2011-2022, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal and Minister of Trade of Turkey Mehmet Mus signed the FTA agreement between the two countries in Kyiv on February 3, 2022. The document will enter into force after ratification by the parliaments of both countries and the exchange of ratification instruments.
At the same time, back in October 2022, First Vice Prime Minister - Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko noted that due to the changed situation in Ukraine, negotiations were underway with Turkey to establish a transition period for certain industries, in particular light industry.
The Turkish Parliament ratified the free trade agreement with Ukraine in early August 2024.
Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture Oleksiy Sobolev, during his speech in the Verkhovna Rada, noted that Ukrainian exports to Turkey last year grew by 23% to $2.7 billion. He added that according to the results of 2025, Turkey ranked second in terms of export volume of Ukrainian products and third in terms of trade turnover: mutual trade grew to $7.9 billion.
"This confirms that the economic partnership between our countries is developing dynamically, and its potential is significant," the minister emphasized, adding that the free trade agreement will help to better unlock this potential.
He specified that for Ukrainian goods, the agreement provides for full liberalization for 84% of product groups and tariff quotas for 6% of product groups, within which a zero or reduced duty rate is applied.
Commenting on criticism of the agreement, Sobolev noted that in addition to the "Made in Ukraine" programs, work is underway on additional assistance to Ukrainian business, including light industry, in facilitating the import of equipment, taxation of parcels, and combating smuggling.
"From now on, Ukrainian business gets time and opportunities to master one of the largest markets in the region, and Ukraine will approach EU membership already with export experience, established partnerships, and logistics," Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Ukraine’s Trade Representative Taras Kachka commented on the ratification.
In his opinion, the main thing in the agreement is a tariff signal for the development of the processing industry, because currently 77% of Ukrainian exports to Turkey consist of grain and sunflower oil – raw materials that Turkey processes on its territory.
"The agreement removes barriers precisely for processed products: food products, feed concentrates, oilseed products of deeper processing. Products manufactured in Ukraine enter the Turkish market without duties. This is a significant argument to invest in processing in Ukraine," Kachka said.
He added that the agreement also provides for the application of the provisions of the updated Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin: Ukrainian manufacturers will be able to use Turkish materials and components and maintain the preferential origin of products for export to the EU.
Representative of the Platform for Life and Peace group Oleksandr Koltunovych criticized the government for the lack of financial and economic justification and forecast parameters for exports and imports. According to the MP, imports from Turkey, which he estimated at $6.2 billion, and the negative trade balance of $2.5 billion, will grow after the ratification of the agreement.
At the same time, representative of the Holos faction Maksym Khlapuk noted that armaments rank first among imports from Turkey, and fuel and petroleum products rank second. He believes that without the war, the trade balance would be positive in favor of Ukraine.
