According to Serbian Economist , Spain’s economy grew by 0.8% in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the previous three months, according to final data from the national statistics agency INE. The increase in GDP compared to the same period last year is 3.1%.
Consumer spending in Spain in April-June grew by 0.8% compared to the previous quarter, business investment by 1.8%, and government spending by 0.1%.
Exports of goods and services rose by 1.3%, imports by 1.6%.
Industrial production increased by 0.9%, the service sector showed an increase of 1%, and the construction industry by 2.3%.
In the first quarter, the country’s GDP grew by 0.6% quarter-on-quarter and by 2.8% year-on-year.
According to the results of the 2024-2025 marketing year (September 2024 – August 2025), Ukraine exported 158,000 tons of granulated beet pulp worth a total of $23.2 million, the National Association of Sugar Producers “Ukrtsukor” reported on Facebook.
The industry association noted that the largest importers of Ukrainian beet pulp were Germany with 22% of the total volume of its exports from Ukraine, Spain and Poland with 21% each, followed by Italy with 12% and the Netherlands with 9%.
According to the business association, the leaders in beet pulp exports were Radekhivsky Sugar, Almeida Group, and Ukrprominvest-Agro, which together exported 83% of the total volume.
“The production and export of granulated pulp is not only an effective use of a by-product of sugar production, which increases the profitability of the beet sugar industry as a whole, but also provides additional export revenue, which the country so badly needs today,” Ukrtsukor concluded.
The investment company umgi, part of the SCM Group, is closely studying the Spanish market and sees great opportunities for partnerships and growth there.
“Umgi’s assets have been present in the Spanish market since 2020. We are carefully researching this market and see great opportunities for partnerships and growth,” the company said in a statement.
It is also reported that umgi CEO Andrey Gorokhov will moderate a panel discussion entitled “Best Investment Strategies: Narrow Specialization or Multi-Focus Approach” at Iberia’s Private Equity Conference, which will take place on October 3 in Madrid.
The company noted that this is one of the key events in the industry, where participants will discuss how fundraising in private equity is changing; which sectors are becoming promising for investment; how value is created through strategy and strong teams; and when to choose the right moment for an exit.
As reported, in 2024, umgi focused its efforts on strategic support for its existing portfolio and expanding its international network of contacts and integrating Ukrainian businesses into European markets.
“We see our mission as being an investment bridge between Ukraine and the world, promoting higher ethical and professional standards in the industry, and developing international cooperation. In 2024, we actively worked to expand our international network among entrepreneurs, business consultants, and investors, particularly in Spain, Italy, and Poland,” said umgi CEO Andriy Gorokhov earlier.
umgi is an investment company focused on developing businesses in the raw materials and processing sectors. It was founded in 2006 by the SCM Group. Investment focus: mineral extraction; management of by-products and production waste; production of industrial goods and services. The total value of the portfolio companies is estimated at more than $500 million.
umgi’s investment portfolio covers eight assets in seven countries: Ukraine, Poland, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Romania, and Serbia.
Ukraine maintains a significant positive trade balance with a number of key partners, which partially offsets the deficit in relations with China and EU countries.
The largest surplus in the first half of 2025 was recorded in trade with Egypt — $605.0 million. Spain ranks second with a balance of $515.3 million, followed by the Republic of Moldova — $448.4 million. Positive dynamics are also observed in relations with the Netherlands ($357.6 million), Algeria ($276.6 million), and Lebanon ($243.8 million).
Ukraine also has a high trade surplus with Iraq ($189.0 million), Libya ($133.6 million), Saudi Arabia ($128.4 million), and Kazakhstan ($113.6 million).
“The positive trade balance indicates that Ukraine is capable of competing effectively in international markets, especially in the agricultural sector and metallurgy. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that these markets are vulnerable to changes in the global economic situation, price fluctuations, and political factors,” emphasized Maksim Urakin, founder of Experts Club and economist.
According to him, maintaining a positive balance in relations with the countries of the Middle East and North Africa is a key element of Ukraine’s foreign trade strategy.
“Egypt, Spain, and the countries of the Arab world are stable importers of Ukrainian agricultural products. This is a strategic direction that needs to be developed further, as it creates a safety cushion for the economy against the backdrop of significant import costs,” Urakyn emphasized.
Analysts note that consolidating positions in the African and Middle Eastern markets could become a long-term factor in strengthening Ukraine’s foreign economic balance.
Agricultural exports, ALGERIA, ECONOMY, EGYPT, EXPERTS CLUB, FOREIGN TRADE, IRAQ, KAZAKHSTAN, LEBANON, LIBYA, MOLDOVA, NETHERLANDS, positive balance, SAUDI ARABIA, SPAIN, UKRAINE, МАКСИМ УРАКИН
In January-August 2025, Ukraine exported nearly 1.4 billion eggs worth $119.5 million, which is 2.6 times more than in the same period of 2024, according to the Ukrainian Poultry Union.
The industry association noted that in August, Ukrainian producers exported 168.2 million eggs worth a total of $16.4 million, which is 81.9% more than in the same period of 2024.
The main buyers of Ukrainian eggs in January-August 2025 were Spain (11% of total exports), Croatia (10.9%), and the United Kingdom (10.6%).
The largest shipments in August were to Spain (37.1 million eggs), the Czech Republic (28.9 million eggs), and Poland (21.7 million eggs).
Spain is one of those countries that are perceived by Ukrainians almost unconditionally positively, and the level of negative assessments of it remains minimal. This is evidenced by the results of an all-Ukrainian survey conducted by Active Group in cooperation with the Experts Club information and analytical center in August 2025.
According to the survey, 53.0% of Ukrainian citizens have a positive attitude towards Spain (39.7% – mostly positive, 13.3% – completely positive). Only 1.0% of respondents expressed a negative attitude (0.7% – mostly negative, 0.3% – completely negative). At the same time, 44.0% of respondents are neutral, and 2.3% said they were not sufficiently aware of the country.
“Spain demonstrates one of the highest shares of positive assessments among Ukrainians, and this is no coincidence. In the first half of 2025, the volume of trade between our countries amounted to more than $1.44 billion, of which exports from Ukraine amounted to $975.7 million and imports from Spain amounted to about $460.4 million. The positive balance of more than $515 million indicates the profitability of cooperation and that Ukraine has a competitive position in the Spanish market,” said Maksym Urakin, founder of Experts Club.
In his turn, Alexander Poznyi, co-founder of Active Group, emphasized that the high level of sympathy on the part of Ukrainians is also politically and culturally based.
“Spain actively supports Ukraine on international platforms, provides humanitarian aid and creates favorable conditions for Ukrainian migrants. At the same time, cultural openness and traditional ties between our peoples strengthen this positive image. Therefore, the level of distrust or criticism of Spain in Ukrainian society is practically absent,” he added.
The survey was part of a comprehensive study of international sympathies and antipathies of Ukrainians in the current geopolitical context.
The full video can be viewed here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgC9TPnMoMI&t
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ACTIVE GROUP, DIPLOMACY, EXPERTS CLUB, Poznyi, SOCIOLOGY, SPAIN, TRADE, URAKIN
