By Bosphorus News Economy Desk
Ukraine's parliament ratified a free trade agreement with Türkiye on Tuesday, advancing a deal signed four years ago but leaving its entry into force dependent on the completion of Türkiye's domestic approval process.
The legislation received 236 votes in the Verkhovna Rada, exceeding the 226 votes required for approval. Türkiye and Ukraine signed the agreement in Kyiv on February 3, 2022, weeks before Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
Ukraine's ratification removes one of the main legal obstacles to the agreement. Türkiye's Trade Ministry, however, continues to list the deal among free trade agreements whose approval processes are still underway.
The agreement will therefore not take effect until both countries complete their domestic procedures and formally exchange the required notifications.
Under the terms presented by Ukraine's Economy Ministry, Türkiye would eliminate tariffs on approximately 93.4 percent of Ukrainian industrial goods when the agreement enters into force.
Initial tariff removal would cover a smaller share of agricultural trade, with further industrial and agricultural products scheduled for liberalisation over transition periods of between three and seven years.
Ukraine would also reduce tariffs on Turkish exports, although Kyiv's commitments are more limited in the initial phase. The agreement contains exemptions and transition arrangements intended to protect sensitive sectors in both economies.
Ukrainian officials say the deal would improve access to the Turkish market for processed food, animal feed, oilseed products and manufactured goods, reducing the current concentration of Ukrainian exports in grain, vegetable oil and other commodities.
The agreement also incorporates Pan-Euro-Mediterranean rules of origin. These could allow Ukrainian manufacturers to use Turkish inputs in products exported to the European Union while retaining preferential tariff treatment, provided the relevant origin requirements are met.
Türkiye and Ukraine recorded bilateral trade of approximately $6.6 billion in 2025, according to Türkiye's Trade Ministry. Ankara and Kyiv have previously set a longer-term target of raising annual trade to $10 billion.
The commercial relationship remains affected by the war, Black Sea shipping risks and the exceptional weight of energy and defence-related imports in Ukraine's trade structure.
Some Ukrainian lawmakers have warned that the agreement could increase imports from Türkiye and widen Ukraine's trade deficit. Supporters argue that improved market access and regional supply-chain integration could help Ukrainian producers expand exports during reconstruction.
The parliamentary vote does not mean trade between the two countries has already become tariff-free. The agreement will remain pending until Türkiye formally completes its approval process and both governments confirm that the legal requirements for implementation have been met.
Sources: Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ukraine's Economy Ministry, Türkiye's Trade Ministry, Ukrinform, Bosphorus News review and reporting.