Albania actively supports Ukraine in the war against russia, providing humanitarian and military aid, as well as participating in diplomatic initiatives. Since the beginning of the war, the Republic of      Albania has imposed economic sanctions against russia, closed its airspace to russian aircraft and provided asylum to Ukrainian refugees. At the diplomatic level, Albania supports Ukraine’s accession to NATO and in September signed a joint declaration with Ukraine confirming its Euro-Atlantic ambitions. The Balkan country has joined the G7 declaration on security guarantees for Ukraine, and has also committed to participate with international organisations, allies and partners in the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine after the war.

On February 28, 2024, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Albania and met with Prime Minister Edi Rama. The leaders signed an agreement between Ukraine and Albania on friendship and cooperation, which provides for mutual assistance and cooperation in many areas, including trade, economy, science and technology, culture, education, healthcare, media, tourism and sports. The Republic of Albania is one of the key countries in the Balkan region in terms of supporting Ukraine during the war, so the agreement will consolidate existing relations and promote their further development.

In addition, the parties will cooperate in environmental protection, application of eco-friendly technologies and rational use of natural resources. Ukraine and Albania will also cooperate in the fight against organised crime, terrorism, drug and human trafficking, and smuggling of all kinds, including cultural and historical property.

Albania actively supports Ukraine in humanitarian aid, in particular by hosting Ukrainian children and helping wounded soldiers. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of russia, the country has been providing health programmes for Ukrainian children, giving them the opportunity to temporarily live in a safe environment and restore their health. It also helps to rehabilitate wounded Ukrainian defenders by providing medical rehabilitation services. Albanian institutions support these programmes on the basis of agreements between the governments, which also include discussions on possible joint production of defence equipment in the future.

In 2023, foreign trade between Albania and Ukraine significantly increased amid stronger diplomatic and economic ties. The Republic of Albania has become an important partner of Ukraine in the Balkans, especially after the signing of the agreement on friendship and cooperation. Albania supplies Ukraine with goods such as fruits, vegetables, electrical equipment, and chemicals, while Ukraine exports agricultural products to Albania, including processed meat and dairy products, as well as heavy industry products. Agreements in agriculture have opened up access to the Albanian market for Ukrainian producers, especially for dairy and poultry products.

At the same time, Albania opened the market for Ukrainian pet food producers. Ukraine has agreed with the Republic of Albania on the approval of two new certificates for Ukrainian producers: a health certificate for canned pet food intended for import or transit; a health certificate for chewing items for pets intended for shipment or transit through the Republic of Albania. Opening up new markets for Ukrainian exporters is one of the key priorities of the MFA. These are new opportunities for domestic producers and strengthening of our economy.

These strengthening economic ties complement Albania’s joint humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine, demonstrating its support in the international arena and its desire to expand bilateral cooperation at all levels.

The development of mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation also remains an important priority for both countries. Despite the small volume of foreign trade with the Republic of Albania, this country is a promising trading partner of the region.

Exports of goods from Dnipropetrovsk region to Albania increased by 94% compared to 2022 and amounted to $191.1 thousand.

3 enterprises in the region exported their products to the Albanian market, namely: glass and glass products, soap and detergents, plastics and polymers, and others. Export operations were carried out by processing companies.

The volume of goods imported to Dnipropetrovsk region totalled $1.2 million and increased by 2.2 times compared to 2022. The region’s businesses buy a variety of chemical products, edible fruits and nuts, vegetables, etc.

10 companies in Dnipropetrovsk region imported their products, including manufacturing, trade and agricultural enterprises.

Source: information for this article was taken from open online sources