Ukraine’s foreign trade in goods increased by almost 30 percent for the first half of 2021, compared to figures from last year in the grip of COVID lockdowns, Taras Kachka, Ukraine’s trade representative said.

“But any comparison must be made with figures from two years ago – 2019,” Kachka wrote on his Facebook page. “Exports in the first half of this year compared to the first half of 2019 rose by 22 percent.”

And Ukraine’s trade deficit, he said, had decreased by 60 ercent to $1.25 million.

Exports to the European Union, Kachka said, had reached $13.3 billion – a 20 percent rise from 2019. Exports to China had nearly tripled compared to 2019 and had reached $4.28 billion. Trade with Turkey had changed from a deficit last year of $80 million to a surplus this year of $460 million.