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.
The international rating agency Fitch Ratings has affirmed Ukraine’s long-term foreign-currency issuer default rating (IDR) at “CCC” and its long-term local-currency IDR one notch higher at “CCC+.”
“Ukraine’s long-term foreign-currency IDR reflects significant credit risk given the war and its macroeconomic and fiscal implications. These factors are offset by a manageable debt service schedule in the short term, improved foreign exchange reserves, and significant support from official partners, primarily the EU,” the agency noted on its website.
It attributed the higher rating in local currency to expectations that debt obligations denominated in local currency will be treated on a priority basis, as the majority of hryvnia-denominated debt is held by domestic banks (primarily state-owned) and the National Bank of Ukraine. According to Fitch, this limits the feasibility of restructuring such debt, as it could lead to additional fiscal costs (in particular, for recapitalizing banks).
The agency noted that in 2026, the war intensified: Russia stepped up airstrikes on various sectors of the economy and continues its de facto blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea coast, which severely hinders key export routes; however, Russian troops have achieved only minor territorial gains. Diplomatic efforts have reached an impasse, and the positions of the parties remain diametrically opposed.
“Fitch expects the war to continue into 2027, as the prospects for a ceasefire are currently weak,” the document states.
The agency forecasts a slight contraction of the economy in 2026 (following zero growth in January–August) followed by 0.2% growth in 2027, provided that however, this latter figure depends on how well the Ukrainian economy can adapt to the expected new phase of airstrikes, the continuation of the naval blockade in the Black Sea, as well as the volume and timing of additional external financial assistance.
According to the report, Ukraine will continue to face a significant budget deficit due to weak domestic revenues (largely caused by a severe disruption of economic activity), as well as very high and inflexible expenditures, primarily related to defense. Fitch forecasts that the fiscal deficit will reach 18% of GDP in 2026 (28% excluding grants) and will decline slightly to 15.6% of GDP by 2028.
It is noted that the Ukraine Support Loan (USL) program covers a significant portion of Ukraine’s financing needs in 2026 (initial forecast: $56 billion) and 2027 (forecast: $43 billion); however, the escalation of the conflict has led to additional financing needs: $27 billion (12.4% of GDP) in 2026 and $33 billion (14.5% of GDP) in 2027; the sources to cover these needs have not yet been definitively determined.
“Support from international donors remains strong and is a key factor underpinning the credit rating. Fitch assumes that the volume of funding—primarily from the EU—will be sufficient to cover short-term financing gaps,” the document states.
At the same time, Fitch added that the prolonged persistence of significant financing needs in the medium term could lead to “donor fatigue” (particularly in the EU), given political disagreements among member states regarding the form and scale of support.
The agency noted that as of the end of 2025, the general government sector’s gross debt stood at 101.2% of GDP, and payments on Eurobonds will not begin until 2029. According to Fitch’s projections, this ratio will rise to 134.3% of GDP by 2028, driven by persistent significant budget deficits and the gradual depreciation of the Ukrainian hryvnia. Fitch treats funds under the USL mechanism and most of the financing under the ERA (Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration) program as contingent liabilities, as their repayment is contingent on Russia’s payment of reparations to Ukraine.
At the same time, the EU’s $18.1 billion contribution to the ERA program, provided through the macro-financial assistance mechanism, is counted as public debt.
According to Fitch’s projections, the current account deficit will reach 24% of GDP in 2026, while the merchandise trade deficit will amount to 40% of GDP. The agency expects the deficit to remain relatively high—averaging 20% of GDP during 2027–2028. Assuming that official external financial support continues, international reserves are projected to cover an average of 4.6 months of current external payments in 2026–2028.
In Ukraine, 50 of the 478 individuals registered as owners or beneficiaries of at least 50 companies have addresses in the temporarily occupied territories or in areas of active combat. These findings are contained in a study by the analytical service “OpenDataBot,” published on October 26, 2026, based on data from the Unified State Register.
According to the study, 42 mass owners of companies have registered addresses in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. This represents nearly one in ten people on the overall list.
The largest number of such entries are in the Donetsk region—17—and the Luhansk region—16.
Another five mass owners are registered at addresses in Crimea, and four in the Kherson region.
The largest number of businesses among individuals with addresses in the temporarily occupied territories is linked to Ruslan Merzlyakov of Donetsk, who is listed as the owner or beneficiary of 2,221 companies.
He also ranks second in the overall Ukrainian ranking of mass owners of businesses.
Next in this group is David Stepanyan from Mariupol, who is linked to 205 companies.
Third is Yevgeny Gasyukov from the city of Khrustalny in the Luhansk region, under whose name 171 companies are registered.
Separately, analysts identified eight mass owners with registered addresses in areas of active hostilities.
Two such addresses were recorded in each of the Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.
The largest number of companies in this category is linked to Yuriy Terekhov from Kherson—275 enterprises.
He is followed by Sergey Khmelevsky from Nikopol in the Dnipropetrovsk region, with 255 companies, and Dmitry Zakhoda from Kherson, with 152 enterprises.
In total, the registered addresses of 50 major owners are linked to territories that are under Russian occupation or are located in zones of active hostilities.
At the same time, the authors of the study specifically note that an owner’s legal address does not necessarily correspond to the location where their enterprises actually conduct business.
Thus, the presence of a registered address in an occupied territory does not indicate that all enterprises associated with the individual in question continue to operate under occupation.
Furthermore, the registry data alone does not allow for determining the actual location of a specific owner or drawing conclusions about their activities in Russian-controlled territory.
As Miroslav Laba, a tax and regulatory policy specialist at the Economic Expert Platform, notes, a large number of companies linked to a single individual can create additional risks for management transparency and tax oversight.
According to him, the use of nominee owners is one of the risk factors that requires attention from regulatory authorities.
At the same time, the expert emphasizes that owning a large number of companies is not, in and of itself, a violation of the law.
As of October 2026, there were a total of 478 mass company owners in Ukraine. The leader of the national ranking is Kyiv resident Vitaliy Ilnitsky, who is linked to 5,889 legal entities.
Source: “OpenDataBot,” study “478 Mass Owners of Companies in Ukraine,” October 26, 2026.
The Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS) at the University of Alberta is celebrating its 50th anniversary. During this time, the institute has awarded at least 1,742 research honors, grants, and scholarships. Of these, 883—or about 51%—were awarded to Ukrainian scholars and institutions.
To mark the anniversary, the institute will host an international symposium titled “Recentring the Humanities: Ukraine and the World” (Recentring the Humanities: Ukraine and the World). It will take place October 28–30, 2026, in Edmonton, with the option to participate online upon prior registration.
Among the confirmed participants are Oleksandra Matviychuk, director of the Center for Civil Liberties; Refat Chubarov, chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People; historians Serhii Plokhy and Yaroslav Hrytsak; philosopher Volodymyr Yermolenko; and Metropolitan Borys Gudziak.
Participants will discuss how Ukraine’s experience—particularly its resistance to Russian aggression—is shaping international debates on history, human rights, democracy, and cultural identity.
A highlight of the symposium will be a lecture by Metropolitan Boris Gudziak titled “The World Has Never Been So Ukrainian: Challenges and Opportunities for the Global Ukrainian Community.” It will take place on October 28 at the Horowitz Theater at the University of Alberta to mark the 25th anniversary of the Bohdan Bociurkiw Memorial Lecture Series.
The program will be complemented by exhibitions on the history of the Ukrainian Canadian Institute of Studies (UCIS), the connection between George Orwell’s work and the Holodomor, and childhood on the Canadian prairies in the 1930s.
The symposium will open on October 28 at the University of Alberta. The main discussions on October 29–30 will take place at the Edmonton Convention Center.
The CIUS’s contribution to the development of Ukrainian humanities cannot be overstated: the CIUS currently comprises 11 research centers and programs. They study the Holodomor, medieval and early modern Ukrainian history, contemporary social processes, the Ukrainian language and methods of teaching it, as well as the history of Ukrainians in Canada and other countries.
One of the key areas of focus concerns the history of Ukrainian statehood. The Petro Yatsyk Center for Ukrainian Historical Studies, led by historian Frank Sysyn, is working on fundamental historical projects. The Institute also supports research on Baturyn, the former capital of the Hetmanate, as well as the publication and preservation of its historical heritage.
Crimean Tatar studies constitute a separate area of focus. Over the past two years, the KIUS has allocated more than half a million Canadian dollars—from its own funds and external grants—to their development. This work helps to present the history of Crimea through the lens of the peninsula’s indigenous people and to counter Russian imperial interpretations.
Among the institute’s long-term projects is the English-language Internet Encyclopedia of Ukraine. It provides an international audience with scholarly, verified information on Ukrainian history, culture, and society. Through the Petro Yatsyk Program for the Study of Contemporary Ukraine and other academic initiatives, KIUS supports Ukrainian researchers, their publications, and international scholarly exchanges.
History and Interesting Facts
KIUS was founded in 1976 with the support of the provincial government, the University of Alberta, and the active participation of the Ukrainian community in Canada. Its mission is to study the history, language, culture, and society of Ukraine, as well as the Ukrainian experience beyond its borders.
The institute made its first payment to an institution in Ukraine in 1987–1988. The Central Scientific Library in Kyiv received $1,000 for catalogs of its newspaper collections.
As early as 1989–1990, the KIUS hosted nearly 100 scholars from Ukraine. The Institute became one of the hubs through which Ukrainian researchers established contacts with the academic community in North America. As early as 1989–1990, the KIUS hosted nearly 100 scholars from Ukraine. The Institute became one of the hubs through which Ukrainian researchers established contacts with the North American academic community. After 1990, Ukraine accounted for approximately 60% of all the Institute’s research awards, grants, and scholarships.
Cooperation also encompassed legislative reforms and the development of democratic institutions. Through the KIUS, a legislative project worth 4 million Canadian dollars was implemented from 1996 to 2000, and the CULIP program, worth approximately 4 million, was carried out from 2000 to 2003. A significant portion of the funding for both initiatives was provided by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Other areas of support included the Petro Yatsyk Program in Lviv, worth 1 million Canadian dollars, and a project to ensure the transparency of the 2004 elections, worth 250,000 Canadian dollars.
Natalia Hanenko-Friesen, Director of the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, and Serhiy Tsipko, Deputy Director for Research, gave a tour of the exhibition dedicated to the 50th anniversary of CIUS to Bill Flanagan, President of the University of Alberta
Natalia Hanenko-Friesen, Director of the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, leads a tour of the exhibition dedicated to the 50th anniversary of CIUS for Bill Flanagan, President of the University of Alberta.
Ukraine can expect only about a third of the citizens who left the country due to the war to return, and risks facing a second wave of migration after the ban on men leaving the country is lifted.
This forecast was announced by Ella Libanova, director of the Institute of Demography and Quality of Life Issues at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, during her speech at the 12th Kyiv International Economic Forum (KIEF) “People. Business. Economy. What’s Next?” in Kyiv on Monday.
According to her, in 2022, demographers estimated the potential return rate at 50%; however, as the war drags on, this figure has been steadily declining due to Ukrainians adapting to life abroad and the destruction within the country.
“If we look at the percentage of our women aged 20 to 64, 70% of them are employed. This is an absolutely incredible figure for the first wave of migrants. Therefore, if a woman is already working there, her child is attending school or university, and they have mastered the language, there are challenges with returning,” Libanova emphasized.
She also expressed concern about the risk of men migrating after the ban on leaving Ukraine is lifted, noting that the civilian sector may be unable to offer demobilized frontline soldiers a level of income comparable to military pay, which would prompt them to join their families who have already settled abroad.
Libanova clarified that as of July 1, 2026, there were 28.5 million people in territories controlled by Ukraine. According to Eurostat data and demographers’ estimates, as of June 30, 4.4 million Ukrainians were under temporary protection in European Union countries, with at least another 1.6 million outside the EU (primarily in Canada and the United Kingdom). At the same time, the exodus of predominantly young people has exacerbated the aging of the population within the country, as one-third of migrants are children and adolescents under 18, and only 6% are people aged 65 and older.
Members of Parliament began the first reading of Bill No. 16000 on the State Budget of Ukraine for the coming year.
“We have received 5,236 amendments from you to the draft state budget for 2027. This is a record for the past 24 years, but that has not prevented us from carefully reviewing all of your proposals. According to preliminary estimates, incorporating the submitted amendments would require an additional 13.5 trillion hryvnias in total. That is nearly two budgets for next year,” said Roksolana Pidlasa (Servant of the People faction), chair of the Budget Committee, at a plenary session of the Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday.
According to her, many proposals for the draft budget do not meet procedural requirements because they are unbalanced or the proposed funding sources are not supported by calculations and are not realistic.
Pidlasa also reported that the working group and the Budget Committee proposed incorporating 90 budget proposals across all areas of life—from defense to social policy.
