As of October 2026, Ukraine has approved 29 new export destinations in 13 countries worldwide and the European Union since the beginning of 2026, marking the highest annual figure since at least 2022, the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection (Derzhprodspozhyvsluzhba) reported on its website on Monday.
According to the report, the new export destinations span Europe, the Caucasus, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In particular, the country can now export flour to China, egg products to Vietnam and Egypt, milk and dairy products to Chile, as well as table eggs and fish products to Egypt.
In addition, market access has been agreed upon for meat and meat products, specifically beef to Iraq, Georgia, and Côte d’Ivoire (where poultry meat is also permitted), cattle to Algeria, and sheep to Egypt. Exports of live snails, their eggs, and certain categories of meat products to Moldova have been authorized.
In the plant sector, the possibility has also been opened for the supply to the EU of planting stock of common cherry, blue cherry, their hybrids, and eight species of maple. In the feed sector, agreements have been reached to export pet food to Egypt and the Republic of Korea, processed feed to Albania, as well as plant-based feed and animal by-products to Georgia.
The ministry added that it will continue working to expand access for Ukrainian products to international markets.
As previously reported, by the end of 2025, Ukraine had secured access for domestic exporters to 22 new foreign markets. Specifically, the Chinese market was opened to peas and wild-caught seafood; India authorized the import of apples; and Canada authorized the import of apples and table eggs. In addition, Albania opened its market to table eggs, Argentina to sunflower seeds, Kuwait to processed products, and Malaysia, Vietnam, Moldova, and Chile to certain types of dairy products and animal feed. In total, since 2022, Ukraine has managed to open 75 new markets, expanding access for agricultural products to 386 export destinations.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever stated that the European Commission will not propose new mechanisms for using frozen Russian assets to meet Ukraine’s financial needs.
“I am certain of this, because that was precisely what was being discussed,” he said Wednesday in the Belgian Parliament while reporting on the results of last week’s EU summit.
At the same time, De Wever did not rule out that other EU member states might try to reopen the discussion. He criticized Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, who stated on the radio that he wanted to “take that money.” According to the Belgian prime minister, some recently elected European leaders are putting forward arguments that he had already refuted last year.
De Wever said he had warned his colleagues about the possible legal consequences of even such rhetoric, and that warning had the desired effect. “One of my colleagues told me on the sidelines that I had gone through this discussion like a flamethrower,” he said.
Last year, De Wever strongly opposed the use of frozen Russian assets totaling about 185 billion euros, which are held in the Belgian depository Euroclear. Instead, EU leaders approved a 90 billion euro loan for Ukraine for 2026–2027; however, estimates suggest this amount will not be sufficient.
At last week’s summit, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked the EU for an additional 70 billion euros in support for next year.
EU, frozen Russian assets, Prime Minister of Belgium, UKRAINE
According to “Serbian Economist”, Montenegrin citizens will not necessarily immediately gain the right to work without permits in all 27 EU member states following the country’s potential accession to the EU in 2028. The European Union has provided for the possibility of transitional restrictions lasting up to nine years.
The relevant mechanism is contained in the EU’s official negotiating position on Chapter 2, “Free Movement of Workers,” approved on June 12, 2026.
How will the restrictions work?
For the first four years, EU countries will be able to decide independently whether to open their labor markets to Montenegrins.
For up to seven years, the restrictions may be extended following the prescribed review procedure.
For up to nine years, an additional extension is permitted in the event of serious disruptions in the national labor market or the threat of such disruptions. Each EU member state will make its own decision in this regard.
Specific restrictions apply to Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria. These countries will be able to implement special protective measures in certain sectors in the event of the temporary posting of workers by Montenegrin companies.
There is also an exception for citizens who are already working: Montenegrins who are legally employed in an EU country and have had uninterrupted access to its labor market for at least 12 months will be able to enjoy broader labor rights in that country.
What does this mean in practice?
Montenegro’s accession to the European Union does not guarantee immediate freedom of employment in all EU countries. The right to work may depend on the legislation of a specific country and the transitional arrangements in effect.
If Montenegro joins the EU in 2028, the maximum restrictions could theoretically remain in place until 2037.
EU, EU accession, Labor market, MIGRATION, MONTENEGRO, transitional restrictions
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed Taras Kachka as Ukraine’s representative to the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community by presidential decree.
Decree No. 1034/2026 was published on the President’s website on Friday.
According to the European Union’s statistical office, in 2025, European Union countries imported 2.9 million metric tons of coffee worth a total of EUR 18.7 billion from non-EU countries.
In terms of volume, imports have increased only slightly over the past ten years (from 2.7 million metric tons in 2015), but in terms of value, they have risen significantly (from EUR8.6 billion), the report states.
Last year, the main coffee suppliers were Brazil (1.005 million metric tons, or 34% of the total volume) and Vietnam (587,500 metric tons, or 20%). EU countries also purchased coffee from Uganda (262,400 metric tons, 9%), Colombia (162,900 metric tons, 6%), and Honduras (136,500 metric tons, 5%).
Germany accounted for about one-third of imports, purchasing 1.01 million metric tons of coffee (34% of the total volume). Next were Italy (608,000 metric tons, 21%), Spain (281,600 metric tons, 10%), Belgium (269,200 metric tons, 9%), and the Netherlands (216,600 metric tons, 7%).
In 2025, the European Union produced over 2.2 million metric tons of coffee (including coffee substitutes and decaffeinated beverages). This is 12% more than in 2015 (2 million metric tons).
The leading producers were Germany (561,200 metric tons, or 25% of the total volume) and Italy (514,200 metric tons, 23%). They were followed, at a considerable distance, by Spain (211,900 metric tons, 10%), France (146,800 metric tons, 7%), Poland (134,800 metric tons, 6%), Sweden (79,400 metric tons, 4%), and Finland (39,000 metric tons, 2%). Collectively, these seven countries accounted for 77% of production.
The mining and steel company Metinvest continues to hope for support from its global partners amid the war, but recently, the European Union and the European Commission have taken numerous measures that cast doubt on whether it is worth investing in the Ukrainian steel industry at all.
The company’s CEO, Yuriy Ryzhenkov, expressed this view in an interview with the Financial Times.
As an example, he cited the quotas imposed on Ukrainian steel in the EU, even though Ukraine’s agreements with the EU—in particular the Association Agreement and other agreements signed in recent years—effectively provided for free access to the European market. Despite the fact that Ukraine has exported significantly less steel to the EU over the past few years than before, the corresponding Ukrainian quotas have been reduced by more than 50%.
“In my view, this is a very strange move. If you want to support the country, it’s better to allow its industry to operate and pay taxes. These funds will strengthen the country’s defense capabilities and economy. This is more effective than grants or preferential loans. I hope our officials, together with their European colleagues, will be able to review this situation and rectify it,” said Ryzhenkov.
According to him, a much better approach would be to consider how the Ukrainian economy—particularly the metallurgical sector—can become part of the broader European market and the European economy, thereby making it stronger rather than weaker. “I also believe that it is very important right now for people in Brussels to understand the conditions under which we are working. We are forced to operate amid constant disruptions in logistics and staff shortages. Many people have left the country. More than 8,500 of our employees have been drafted into the army. We have an unstable energy supply and very high energy costs,” the CEO noted.
He emphasized that it is, to some extent, unfair and incorrect to treat the Ukrainian steel industry on par with that of other countries supplying products to the EU. The situation in Ukraine requires a special approach, greater understanding, and, perhaps, certain tools that will allow us to survive now and return to investment and growth in the future.
When asked whether the company had assessed the total amount of losses, the CEO noted that a comprehensive assessment has not yet been conducted. “As I’ve already said, we are currently clearing debris and assessing damage to infrastructure and production facilities. And this is not the first time since the Russian invasion that our facilities have come under attack, so we will be able to provide a more accurate assessment once the war is over. Only then will it be possible to discuss the cost of recovery from the damage.”
Ryzhenkov noted that all of the company’s international projects are linked to Ukrainian production and Ukrainian resources, and there is hope that this will continue to be the case. “Currently, our rolling mills in Europe and the United Kingdom are operating autonomously. At the same time, we already have plans in place and are taking steps to restore vertical integration with Ukrainian enterprises and return to our previous model. In short, we remain very active. We consider Europe, as well as the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions, to be our main markets. We want to continue to be present in these markets and remain open to new opportunities,” Ryzhenkov concluded.
Metinvest is a vertically integrated group consisting of mining and metallurgical enterprises. Its enterprises are located in Ukraine—in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions—as well as in European countries. The holding’s main shareholders are the SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%). Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of the Metinvest Group.
Source: https://metinvestholding.com
