site.btaSerbia, Ukraine Hold Talks on Free Trade Agreement

Serbian Minister of Domestic and Foreign Trade Jagoda Lazarevic and Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Trade Representative Taras Kachka signed a joint statement in Belgrade on continuing negotiations for a free trade agreement between the governments of the two countries, Serbia’s Tanjug news agency reported.

Earlier in the day, Kachka met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. The two discussed the prospective free trade agreement, as well as opportunities to further increase trade, investment and cooperation in trade, energy and infrastructure.

On Wednesday evening, a Serbian-Ukrainian business forum was held at the Entrepreneur business club, bringing together 45 business representatives from 30 Serbian and Ukrainian companies operating in agriculture, river transport, logistics, the chemical industry, mineral fertilizer production, trade, the electrical engineering industry and metallurgy, Tanjug reported.

Ukraine is the only European country with which Serbia does not have a free trade agreement, daily Danas reported.

Ukraine, a candidate for European Union membership, is expected to post GDP growth of 2.4% in 2026 and 4.7% in 2027.

Trade turnover between Serbia and Ukraine reached USD 152.8 million in the first quarter of 2026. Serbia recorded a trade surplus of USD 36.8 million. Serbia’s main exports include electricity, mineral and chemical fertilizers, and tyres, while imports from Ukraine include rolled semi-finished products, iron ore and frozen raspberries.

Total trade between the two countries amounted to USD 442.2 million in 2025, with Serbian exports standing at USD 202.9 million and imports at USD 239.3 million.