Ukraine, UK to prepare new trade agreement

The UK is ready to negotiate with Ukraine on a new post-Brexit trade agreement to replace the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement.

"The British side is ready for talks. They agree that short-term agreements will not work anymore. Now the ball is in our court. We need to form a delegation, draw directives and our vision and start official negotiations," Ukraine’s Ambassador to the UK Natalia Halibarenko said at a press club meeting within the framework of the 13th meeting of ambassadors at the Foreign Ministry, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Ukraine opposes excluding some sectoral parts, energy and integration clauses from the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, leaving about ten pages and calling them a new trade agreement with the UK, the ambassador noted.

"There are sectors where we can boost economic cooperation [with Britain], for example, go beyond the quotas established with the EU," the diplomat stressed.

As Halibarenko noted, the Ukrainian side looks forward to full-fledged negotiations with the British side.

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