Ukraine
Ukraine at a glance
Population
As of: 2025
Trade volume
As of: 2025
GDP growth
As of: 2025
Bringing Ukraine and Bavaria together
Services of our economic representation
Market entry
We support Bavarian companies in entering the market and in developing initial business opportunities, customer relationships and projects in Ukraine.
Network building
We connect companies with relevant partners in Ukraine through targeted networking activities and events.
Location information on Ukraine
We help identify suitable regions, business conditions and relevant contacts in Ukraine.
Support for business establishment projects in Bavaria
We support Ukrainian companies that wish to establish a presence in Bavaria.
Do you have any questions? Do not hesitate to contact us!
Facts and figures about Ukraine
Ukraine is one of the larger economies in Central and Eastern Europe. The EU accession process, which has been under negotiation since the end of 2023, points to a rapidly growing Ukrainian market with a familiar regulatory framework in the long term. Despite the ongoing war, Ukraine has gained significant importance for Germany as an export market: exports reached a new record level in 2025.
Trade relations between Bavaria and Ukraine
*in millions of euros
This chart shows exports from Bavaria to Ukraine and imports from Ukraine to Bavaria. It also illustrates the total trade volume, consisting of both exports and imports.
How is Ukraine’s economy structured?
The country possesses significant reserves of raw materials classified as critical by the EU. Ukraine is also increasingly integrating into European value chains as a production location.
The war has profoundly transformed Ukraine’s economic structure. Due to wartime conditions, the economy is shifting from a resource- and agriculture-based system toward a more service- and defense-oriented structure. Whereas heavy industry, metallurgy and agriculture were the main pillars before 2022, the focus is increasingly moving toward services and manufacturing.
Mining and metallurgy have been the most significant structural losers, and agriculture has also declined in relative importance. However, the share of agricultural products in total exports rose to around 56% in 2025, as metal exports declined even more sharply.
On the other hand, several sectors have emerged as winners. The service sector now dominates, accounting for nearly 70% of GDP. The information and communications technology (ICT) sector plays a key role: in 2024, the IT sector generated approximately €6.5 billion in revenue and employed 303,000 specialists. The most significant structural shift concerns the defense industry, whose production volume has increased tenfold since 2022, reaching around USD 10 billion in 2024. Around 800 public and private companies now operate in this sector, including numerous foreign manufacturers.
What business opportunities does Ukraine offer?
Business opportunities arise particularly in the context of reconstruction and economic modernization. Key potential areas include infrastructure, renewable energy, energy efficiency, construction and healthcare. Additional demand is emerging in water supply, wastewater management and environmental technologies as public and industrial infrastructure is modernized.
The Russian war of aggression has reshaped the Ukrainian economy. The defense industry is gaining importance, as are the IT sector and drone manufacturing. At the same time, the share of heavy industry is declining due to destruction in the eastern regions of the country.
The expansion of the energy sector and the increasing decentralization of energy supply are creating market opportunities in electricity generation and infrastructure. Further opportunities exist in medical technology and healthcare infrastructure due to modernization needs and the rebuilding of the healthcare system.
The continued development of the IT and technology sector is generating additional opportunities in digitalization, software development and technology-driven services. Further potential exists in the modernization of industrial production facilities as well as in the development of the raw materials and agricultural sectors.
The European Union and Ukraine have established a free trade area under the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine.
What are the economic relations with Bavaria and Germany?
Economic relations between Bavaria and Ukraine have developed dynamically in recent years. Ukraine is an important trading partner for Bavaria in Eastern Europe and is gaining further significance in the context of reconstruction, modernization and European integration.
Bavarian companies primarily export machinery, vehicles, industrial equipment, pharmaceutical products and technical goods to Ukraine. Imports from Ukraine include agricultural products, electricity-generating equipment and furniture.
In view of the reconstruction and economic transformation of the country, Ukraine is expected to become increasingly important for Bavaria’s foreign trade in the future.
