The development of non-commodity exports has been and remains one of Ukraine’s key priorities. For the Government, it is fundamentally important that Ukrainian exporters feel real, systemic, and predictable support from the state — at a level that has long been the standard for businesses in developed economies. This was stated by Ukraine’s Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture, Oleksii Sobolev, during his speech at the ExportCreditForum in Kyiv on January 27, 2026.
According to the Minister, the war, the destruction of infrastructure, the transformation of the global economy, and new trade and financial restrictions are shaping a new reality in which Ukraine must not merely adapt, but build the economy of the future. Exports are one of the key drivers of resilience and recovery.
“We are not only talking about the need to increase exports as such, but also about changing their structure. Our priority is non-commodity exports. Developing such exports, increasing foreign sales of processed goods and products with high added value, is one of the core objectives of the ‘Made in Ukraine’ policy. We must learn to produce and export greater value in smaller volumes: not raw timber, but furniture; not scrap metal, but metal products and machinery; not soybeans and rapeseed, but oil and meal. We must also open new export niches for goods with high added value,” Oleksii Sobolev emphasized.
An important institution supporting non-commodity exports is the Export Credit Agency (ECA). In 2025, the ECA supported exports worth UAH 10.43 billion, which is 40% more than in 2024. As Oleksii Sobolev noted, this is a good pace, but much larger volumes are needed. The ECA should play a leading role in boosting non-commodity exports.
As the Minister noted, last year showed negative trends for Ukrainian exports. Despite expected economic growth of around 2%, Ukraine’s goods exports fell by 3% to USD 40.5 billion, which is below the 2022 level. This means that manufacturers, exporters, financial institutions, and the state all have work to do, and the best results will come from joint efforts. In particular, producers need to promote their products more actively in foreign markets; financial institutions should offer export financing and insurance instruments; and the state should provide exporters with the necessary support and open access to export markets.
The Minister expressed confidence that the ExportCreditForum, as one of the key platforms for dialogue between government and business, will help shape a list of issues and solutions whose implementation will make Ukrainian exports stronger, more competitive, and better protected.
ExportCreditForum is a key platform for partnership dialogue between the state, the financial sector, and business on the development of Ukraine’s non-commodity exports. The event was organized by the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine together with the Export Credit Agency of Ukraine.
