As of late September–early October, agricultural exports from Ukraine—amid Russia’s ongoing blockade of Black Sea ports—amount to up to 50% of the potential volume, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Vysotsky told reporters on Friday.
“Without access to deep-water Black Sea ports, we can export about half of our produce—the portion that has been grown and is intended for export. When we talk about the consequences, this means we are unable to export approximately 30 million metric tons of agricultural products worth about $30 billion during the current marketing year,” he noted.
The minister clarified that in September, 2.4 million metric tons were exported—46% of what was supposed to be exported—including 1.4 million metric tons of grains (38%), 444,000 metric tons of oilseeds (83%), oil—311,000 metric tons, or 64%, and meal—280,000 metric tons, or 46% of the potential required exports.
“This 46% figure has, in fact, remained unchanged since September 20. In other words, we are achieving what we predicted: that 45–50% is the objective maximum given the current logistics channels,” Vysotsky concluded.
According to him, 41%—or 993,000 metric tons—was exported by rail, which is in line with forecasts; 54%—or 1.3 million metric tons—via the Danube; and 5%—or 120,000 metric tons—by road.
“In September, we saw an increase in both rail and Danube shipments compared to August,” the minister added.
According to Interfax-Ukraine, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov responded to a new op-ed by Valeriy Zaluzhny, former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, stating that Ukraine’s ability to withstand the war should not be interpreted as consent to live in it, and called for a path to peace backed by guarantees from partners.
“For me, the logic of the ‘war party’ begins when war is perceived as Ukraine’s only possible future. I disagree with this,” Terekhov wrote on Telegram.
Terekhov noted that the desire for peace requires no justification. According to him, in a Gallup poll conducted in April 2026, 66% of Ukrainians surveyed supported ending the war as soon as possible through negotiations. This indicates a broad public demand for peace.
“Peace must be based on our defense capabilities and specific commitments from our partners. Guarantees must specify what military assistance Ukraine will receive and how partners will act in the event of a new attack. We must strive to secure these conditions by using military, economic, and diplomatic leverage,” Terekhov writes.
He noted that Russia started this war and bears responsibility for its continuation, which is why international pressure must be directed specifically at the aggressor.
“Our ability to endure the war should not be interpreted as consent to live in it. We strive for peace and prosperity. Our defenders—both men and women—also have the right to a peaceful life. Time with their families, recovery, plans for the future. Their courage obligates the state to provide them with everything they need and to use every realistic opportunity to bring the war to an end,” Terekhov concluded.
In his column on Channel 24, Zaluzhny specifically stated that there can be no “business logic” in resolving the war, and that in the absence of effective international law, any agreements with Russia would become “merely a prelude to the next war.”
In April 2026, the American public opinion institute Gallup conducted and published several important sociological studies. According to the survey, 66% of Ukrainians polled believe that the country needs to reach an agreement to end the war as soon as possible, while 24% advocate continuing hostilities until victory is achieved.
Source: https://t.me/ihor_terekhov/4706
The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) has begun studying the state of competition in the markets for petroleum-product storage and related services, enkorr reported, citing a request from the committee to one of the market participants, a copy of which is in the publication’s possession.
“As part of the study, the AMCU is collecting data for 2023–2025 and the first half of 2026. In particular, operators must provide information on the volumes and cost of storing gasoline, diesel fuel and liquefied gas, storage capacity, the list of clients and related services,” enkorr noted.
The committee is also interested in the technical characteristics of oil depots: tank-farm capacity, the throughput capacity of railway and road loading racks, equipment for monitoring fuel quality and quantity, and the possibility of promptly repurposing tanks for different types of petroleum products.
A separate part of the study concerns the geographical boundaries of the market. The AMCU is requesting the distances over which fuel is transported from oil depots to clients’ filling stations, the geography of counterparties, the share of rail and water logistics, as well as a list of competing oil depots within a radius of 100 and 150 km.
“In addition, the committee will analyze pricing in the market. Operators must report storage tariffs and tariffs for related services, the practice of granting discounts to large clients, the share of the three largest customers in storage revenue, and their possible influence on tariff policy,” the publication reported.
The committee is also studying barriers to market entry and collecting information on damage to tank farms, railway infrastructure and loading systems, the cost of restoring them, and logistics problems.
Another section concerns minimum stocks of oil and petroleum products (MZNN). The AMCU is determining whether oil-depot operators plan to operate as minimum-stock operators or responsible custodians, as well as how the introduction of MZNN has affected their activities.
As part of the government-introduced experiment on underground fuel storage, the committee is also interested in whether companies have underground storage facilities and in their plans to build new capacity.
Source: https://enkorr.ua/uk/news/amku_dosldzhu_konkurencyu_na_rinku_zbergannya_palnogo/269381
ANTIMONOPOLY COMMITTEE, fuel market, PETROLEUM PRODUCTS, UKRAINE
The international forum “Rebuilding Ukraine: Security, Opportunities, Investment” will take place on October 22–23, 2026, at the ROMEXPO Exhibition Center in Bucharest, Romania.
The forum is organized by the New Strategy Center and the Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The event is expected to bring together representatives of government institutions from Ukraine, Romania, and other countries, as well as international financial organizations, businesses, investors, local authorities, and experts.
According to the preliminary program, the forum will last two days. The main topics of discussion will include infrastructure and transport connectivity, security and defense, financing mechanisms and business opportunities, energy, agriculture and sustainable development, the recovery of Ukrainian regions and cross-border cooperation, as well as human capital.
The forum is scheduled to open on the morning of October 22. George Scutaru, CEO of the New Strategy Center, and Mihai Daraban, President of the Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, are scheduled to deliver opening remarks.
One of the first plenary discussions will be a panel titled “Business Bridges for Economic Recovery: The Strategic Role of Chambers of Commerce and Industry.” Among the confirmed participants are Gennadiy Chizhikov, President of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry; the heads of the chambers of commerce and industry of Romania, Poland, Italy, and Moldova; and Adrian Zuckerman, former U.S. Ambassador to Romania.
A separate segment of the program will be dedicated to the Romania-Ukraine-Moldova strategic transport and investment corridor. Representatives of the Ukrainian government, the Verkhovna Rada, UkraineInvest, and Romanian authorities are scheduled to participate in the discussion. At the same time, international mechanisms for financing reconstruction will be discussed with representatives from KfW, Poland’s BGK, and other financial institutions.
A significant portion of the forum will have a practical investment focus. Separate sessions are scheduled to present investment opportunities in the Kyiv, Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Vinnytsia, Chernivtsi, Odesa, and Kherson regions. The broader concept of the forum also includes the participation of the Mykolaiv region.
On the first day, discussions are also planned on the role of business associations in mobilizing capital for reconstruction, food security and Ukraine’s agricultural potential, the development of the Danube logistics hub, attracting private capital to reconstruction efforts, Black Sea security, unmanned systems, the restoration of housing and cities, Ukraine’s energy transition, and the return of human capital.
Among the announced participants in the finance panel are representatives from the European Investment Bank, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, the Romanian Commercial Bank (BCR), Poland’s BGK, and Romania’s Investment and Development Bank.
The second day, October 23, will begin with a plenary discussion on ending Russian aggression against Ukraine, international pressure, negotiations, and security guarantees. The program also includes panels on Ukraine’s experience with unmanned systems, the reintegration of veterans, the restoration of the power grid, the role of
the Danube as a strategic transport corridor, and the development of connections between Poland, Ukraine, and Romania.
Separate discussions will address sanctions and post-war reparations, energy cooperation in the Black Sea region, the participation of Romanian companies in Ukraine’s reconstruction, joint production of dual-use goods, and the use of EU programs to develop cross-border cooperation.
According to the program, simultaneous interpretation into Ukrainian, English, and Romanian will be provided at the forum.
The organizers emphasize that the program published as of September is preliminary; therefore, the list of participants, panel titles, and their schedules are subject to change.
Advance registration is required to participate in the forum. The contact person on the Ukrainian side is Kateryna Dadiverina, tel. +40 721 616 747, e-mail: ecaterina.dadiverina@newstrategycenter.ro.
For questions regarding partnerships, sponsorship packages, and exhibition booths, please contact the New Strategy Center: Ana-Maria Shaer, tel. +40 753 103 310, email: ana.schaer@newstrategycenter.ro.
Detailed information and the latest forum program are available on the official website of Rebuilding Ukraine: Security, Opportunities, Investment.
The “Rebuilding Ukraine: Security, Opportunities, Investment” forum’s media partners are, as usual, Interfax-Ukraine and Open4Business.
An overwhelming majority (72%) of Ukrainians support peace talks with Russia, however, about half of citizens are open to territorial compromises to end the war, while an absolute majority considers any reduction or limitation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s strength unacceptable, according to the results of a public opinion poll conducted by the Future Research Foundation and presented during a press conference at the “Interfax-Ukraine” news agency on Thursday.
“The dynamics of public sentiment demonstrate a strong desire to find diplomatic avenues for a ceasefire. Specifically, 72.2% of respondents tend to support peace talks with Russia. Opposition to this stands at 20.8% of those surveyed,” said Svitlana Kushnir, project manager at the Foundation for Future Studies, during the presentation of the survey results.
Among the possible ways to end the war, 48.5% favor compromises and ceasefire negotiations, even if they involve territorial or political concessions; 24.6% support a temporary “freeze” of the front lines without officially acknowledging the loss of territory, while 18.6% of respondents favor continuing the war to restore the 1991 borders without compromise.
At the same time, 51.7% of citizens are open to territorial compromises to end the war (29.4% – “yes, if it leads to the end of the war,” 22.3% – “probably yes”), while 41.3% of respondents oppose territorial compromises. (20.4% – “no, under no circumstances,” 20.9% – “rather no”).
“This negotiation track is closely linked to security red lines, which society considers unacceptable to cross. In particular, 76.3% of respondents consider reducing or limiting the size of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the request of the other side to be unacceptable even if it ensures security (for 55.2% of respondents, this is categorically unacceptable),” Kushnir reported.
According to her, 58.7% of respondents believe that the situation in Ukraine is moving in the wrong direction (30.9%—definitely, 27.8%—somewhat). At the same time, 32.5% of respondents assess the direction of development as correct (8.6%—definitely, 23.9%—somewhat), while 8.8% were unable to answer.
At the same time, a number of acute socioeconomic problems are dampening the willingness to compromise, particularly bribery and corruption within government structures (51%) and rising food prices (39.6%). In addition, there is a certain level of concern regarding the winter season: 56.1% of households are fully or partially prepared for possible prolonged power and heating outages, while 43.2% rate their preparedness as insufficient.
According to the survey results, 84.5% of respondents consider the current mobilization process to be unfair, with 59.6% deeming it absolutely unfair.
Ihor Zhdanov, a political expert, former Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine (2014–2019), and head of the “Information Defense” project at the Open Policy Foundation, notes that these survey results indicate that Ukraine and its politicians are ready for negotiations, but “they want negotiations with substantive content, not just negotiations about surrender.”
“It is clear that there can be no question of any kind of surrender in Ukrainian society. The point is to hold negotiations, find some kind of compromise, and this society is ready for a compromise. So why isn’t peace being achieved? Why aren’t substantive peace consultations and negotiations already taking place, and why hasn’t some kind of ceasefire been declared for this purpose? And the Russian dictator Putin isn’t ready to hold peace negotiations; he doesn’t want to. Because there, in Russia, the circumstances haven’t yet arisen that would force him or push him toward peace,” he noted during a press conference.
Commenting on the fact that 76% of Ukrainian citizens consider reducing the size of the Armed Forces of Ukraine unacceptable, the expert noted that this indicates that Ukrainian society relies solely on itself and its own Armed Forces. “We rely on ourselves and on our Armed Forces; we also need to develop our own defense-industrial complex so that the situation remains predictable and so that there are level playing fields for Ukrainian and foreign companies,” Zhdanov said.
He also pointed out that more than half of Ukrainians consider corruption in government to be a particularly pressing problem—even more serious than rising prices and low wages.
“Bribery and corruption in government are not just a matter of public opinion but also a problem related to receiving funds from the European Union. We were told in no uncertain terms: you must carry out judicial reform; there is the Kachka-Kosa plan related to anti-corruption efforts, such as adopting an anti-corruption strategy, competitive selection of prosecutors, and implementing judicial reform. Unfortunately, of the 10 points, none have been implemented. All of these bills will benefit the country. None of them are controversial, unlike bills in the socioeconomic sphere. They need to be adopted, but for some reason they aren’t being adopted, and this simply means that we aren’t receiving the corresponding funds from the EU,” Zhdanov noted.
The survey was conducted from September 19 to 22 using the Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) method with a random sample of mobile phone numbers among 1,203 respondents aged 18 and older in all government-controlled territories of Ukraine. The maximum theoretical margin of error does not exceed 2.9% with a 95% confidence level.
Armed Forces of Ukraine, mobilization, NEGOTIATIONS, POLL, UKRAINE
In the first quarter following the EU’s introduction of quotas on metal product shipments, Ukrainian metal exporters used 100% of their quarterly guaranteed quota for duty-free shipments to the EU of cold-rolled flat products made of unalloyed and alloyed steel, hollow sections, and other seamless pipes, according to a statement on the website of the “Ukrmetallurgprom” association.
According to the statement, as of September 30, 2026, the quotas in the following categories under the global (final) quotas in which Ukraine participates have been exhausted: metal-coated sheets (MFN subgroup—“Most-Favored-Nation treatment”), metal-coated sheets (FTA subgroup—“countries with a free trade agreement with the EU”), unalloyed and other alloyed steel bars and light sections (MFN subgroup—“most-favored-nation treatment”), stainless steel bars, billets, and small-section products (MFN subgroup – “most-favored-nation treatment”) and stainless steel bars, billets, and small-section products (FTA subgroup – “countries with a free trade agreement with the EU”).
Among competing countries, the guaranteed quota as of September 30 has been exhausted for the following categories: rebar – Turkey; wire rod of non-alloy and alloy steel – Turkey; hollow sections – Turkey and Macedonia; seamless stainless steel pipes—India; cold-rolled bars and rods of unalloyed and alloyed steel—Switzerland; and unalloyed wire—Turkey.
As of September 29, 2026, the competitive quota has been exhausted for the following categories: hot-rolled flat products of unalloyed and alloyed steel, rebar, wire rod of unalloyed and alloyed steel, hollow sections, seamless stainless steel pipes, other seamless pipes, and non-alloy wire.
As previously reported, once the guaranteed and competitive quotas are exhausted, further shipments to the EU are subject to a 50% tariff. “Ukrmetallurgprom” criticized the EU’s decision to restrict shipments of Ukrainian steel products, which had been supplied to Europe duty-free for the first three years following Russia’s full-scale aggression. The association believes that Ukraine currently poses no threat to European producers, as the war initially caused the country’s steel production to plummet from 40 million metric tons to 7.5 million metric tons, and currently, nearly all steel plants are shut down due to shelling.
EU, EXPORTS, METALLURGY, QUOTA, UKRAINE
