Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the National Economy and Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister, Olexandr Mishchenko, discussed prospects for trade and economic cooperation with Serik Zhumangarin at a meeting on April 2.
The aim of the discussion was to restore bilateral trade between Astana and Kyiv, said the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry representative.
Before the war, trade between Kazakhstan and Ukraine reached approximately $5.5 billion annually, but has since declined sharply. Nevertheless, Kazakh data show that the situation has begun to improve. As the Ministry of National Economy reported, trade turnover between the two countries attained $415.8 million in 2025 (5.4% increase from $394.3 million in 2024). Ferroalloys, fertilizers, and rice are Kazakhstan’s main exports to Ukraine. Meanwhile, chocolate and other cocoa products, flour and confectionery, medicines, cheese, and cottage cheese represent imports from Ukraine.
Also, the range of goods traded is to be expanded by Astana and Kyiv. Other issues are investment, agriculture, logistics, and humanitarian cooperation.
As Mishchenko said, the countries also plan to strengthen cooperation in the energy sector and restore logistics chains. Kazakh exports mainly reached Europe through Ukraine until 2022. After that, they needed alternative corridors, including routes across the Caspian and South Caucasus. They are longer, more complex, and often more expensive.
To find the solution, Mishchenko accompanied a large delegation of Ukrainian entrepreneurs to Kazakhstan.
The Ukrainian business mission visited Kazakhstan, including the Pavlodar Region, a major industrial hub with significant heavy industry and energy capacity.
During the visit, meetings with government officials, financial institutions, and business representatives, alongside regional visits aimed at launching joint projects took place.
They held talks with the leadership of Baiterek National Management Holding in Astana. The Astana International Financial Centre and the city administration Ukrainian were also visited by entrepreneurs.
Also, participants examined investor conditions, state support tools, and production localization opportunities in the Karaganda Region and the Sary Arka Special Economic Zone. They assessed production capacity and identify areas for cooperation delegation in Qarmet, Qaragandy Power Silicon, and on the Shans farm.
Leading industrial companies of the Pavlodar Region, including Aluminum of Kazakhstan, Eurasian Energy Corporation, and EkibastuzFerroAlloys, discussed cooperation in industry, energy, and equipment supply with Ukrainian representatives.
Kokshetau, the administrative center of the Akmola Region, a key hub for Kazakhstan’s agro-industrial sector, also welcomed the delegation.
Nevertheless, a key area of cooperation is the agro-industrial sector. The cooperation between dairy farms in several Kazakh regions with the Ukrainian Milk Producers Association on breeding livestock supply and professional training counts many years. Also, they expect logistics to play a central role in restoring bilateral ties.
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