Presidents of Ukraine and Turkey Volodymyr Zelensky and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, following a meeting in Kiev, signed an agreement on the establishment of a free trade zone and signed a number of other documents, including those related to the production of drones. After that, Mr. Erdogan reiterated his readiness to organize negotiations between Mr. Zelensky and Vladimir Putin.
What agreements have been entered into?
- a framework agreement on cooperation in the field of high technologies, aviation and space;
- a memorandum on the establishment of a joint customs council;
- an agreement to expand the production of Turkish Bayraktar drones in Ukraine.
An agreement on a free trade zone between the countries has been discussed for more than 10 years. Its adoption was delayed due to inconsistency in tariff issues. It is expected that it will bring countries an additional 2% of GDP annually.
The Ministry of Economy of Ukraine reported that within the framework of the agreement, Turkey will establish a zero duty on 95% of the total amount of goods exported by Ukraine. The rest will be subject to quotas.
Ukraine maintains duties on used cars and second-hand goods and establishes three- and five-year transitional periods of duties on vehicles and light industry products.
The launch of Bayraktar production in Ukraine was announced in December by Andriy Yermak, head of the country’s presidential office. He noted that earlier engines for drones were produced in Ukraine. It was these drones that the Ukrainian security forces used in the conflict zone in Donbass. Fahrettin Altun, the head of the Public Relations Department of the Turkish Presidential Administration, told Bloomberg that the arms agreements with Ukraine are not directed against Russia.
The meeting lasted three hours. At the beginning of the talks, the Turkish president greeted the National Guardsmen with the traditional slogan “Glory to Ukraine.”
Mr. Erdogan, after the talks, reiterated Ankara’s readiness to host a meeting between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine. Such a statement was made back in mid-January amid the escalation of the conflict in Donbass.
About how Ankara reconciles Kiev and Moscow – in the material “Kommersant” “Peace Turistic Mission”.