Ukraine ready to negotiate 'abolition of duties' on all US goods amid Trump's tariffs

Ukraine is ready to negotiate with the U.S. the lifting of all tariffs on American goods, Deputy Economy Minister and Trade Representative Taras Kachka told Ukrainska Pravda in an interview published on April 8.

Kachka said Ukraine was prepared to zero out duties on U.S. imports, which amount to roughly $3–4 billion annually and are already subject to either low or no tariffs.

“Our priority is the abolition of duties, not escalation,” he said, emphasizing Ukraine’s desire to maintain strong economic and diplomatic ties with Washington.

The move comes in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping new tariff policy, announced on April 2 as part of what he called “Liberation Day.”

Trump, who has framed the tariff regime as a bid to revitalize American manufacturing and fight back against foreign exploitation, said the U.S. had been “looted, pillaged, raped, and plundered” for decades.

Ukraine was hit with a 10% blanket tariff on its exports — lower than the 20% imposed on the European Union and the accumulative 104% on China, but still a setback for a country at war.

Kyiv’s metallurgy sector, a major source of Ukrainian exports to the U.S., was already impacted by a 25% tariff imposed in March. Despite this, Kachka signaled that Ukraine would not retaliate and instead hopes to engage in a “delicate dialogue” to resolve the issue.

Ukraine ready to negotiate 'abolition of duties' on all US goods amid Trump's tariffs

In 2023, Ukrainian exports to the U.S. totaled just $874 million, while imports from the U.S. reached $3.4 billion. The overall trade volume has declined in recent years, but the tariffs could deepen the imbalance, especially if they trigger broader protectionist measures globally.

Yuliia Svyrydenko, Ukraine’s Economy Minister, called the new U.S. tariffs on April 3 “difficult, but not critical,” saying Kyiv remained focused on long-term economic resilience and international cooperation.

Oleksandra Myronenko, an analyst at the Center for Economic Strategy in Kyiv, warned that a global trade war triggered by the new tariffs could still have knock-on effects for Ukraine.

“Even if we’re not the main target, we could feel the fallout,” she told the Kyiv Independent.

Russia was not among the countries and territories subject to the wide-ranging tariffs as the existing sanctions “preclude any meaningful trade,” White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt claimed.

Kyiv’s strategy now centers on preserving access to global markets and maintaining stable ties with Washington amid growing uncertainty over future U.S. economic and security commitments.