Ukraine has expressed understanding of the EU countries’ position on protecting their farmers but emphasized the need for open dialogue and a long-term solution that also considers the interests of Ukrainian agricultural producers.
Ukraine’s Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, Vitalii Koval, stated this during his visit to Hungary and meeting with his Hungarian counterpart, Istvan Nagy, Ukrinform reports, citing the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food.
The two sides discussed the future of the free trade regime between Ukraine and the European Union.
Koval stressed that Ukrainian farmers are not a threat but a reliable partner for the European market. He noted that despite operating under the challenging conditions of war, Ukrainian agricultural producers continue to contribute to food security in Ukraine and globally.
“We respect the EU countries’ efforts to protect the interests of their farmers, but at the same time, we expect an honest dialogue and a long-term solution that takes into account the interests of Ukrainian farmers as well. Ukraine is part of the European economic space. That’s why we continue to make the case to our European partners that our agricultural producers deserve predictable trade rules,” Koval said.
The Autonomous Trade Measures (ATM) regime for Ukraine was introduced following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion and has since been extended twice for one year. The current regime is set to expire on June 5, 2025.
Photo credit: Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food
Source: Ukraine urges EU to engage in dialogue to find solution to joint trade
