Free Trade Zone in Exchange for a Peace Agreement: Expert Explains What the U.S. Is Offering Ukraine

Political analyst Ruslan Bortnik explained that a free trade zone with the United States is a window into a better life for Ukraine, but that the Americans are offering it only in exchange for a peace agreement, Politeka reports.

He spoke about this on his blog.

“This is a topic I have been raising in Ukraine for decades, trying to get through to the minds—and the backs—of our officials. I constantly say that for Ukraine, what matters more than American financial or even military aid is a free trade zone with the United States and the liberalization of the visa regime. Witkoff, speaking in Davos, stated that the U.S. is ready to consider the possibility of introducing a duty-free zone for Ukraine after the war as part of a peace agreement,” Ruslan Bortnik notes.

And this, he emphasizes, was said at a time when the United States is imposing tariffs even on its closest allies, closing off access to its market. According to the expert, a free trade zone would turn Ukraine into a global gateway to the American market—into a highway through which flows of goods and services produced in other countries would pour in. This, he states, means enormous money—potentially hundreds of billions of dollars—and for Ukraine it truly is a window into a better life.

“In effect, the United States is offering us a golden fishing rod studded with diamonds in exchange for a peace agreement and rational, pragmatic behavior. Of course, this fishing rod would need to be firmly secured, because if it is just a promise or a temporary solution, it is unlikely to help Ukraine much,” Ruslan Bortnik emphasizes.

Nevertheless, he notes, if it is possible to secure a free trade zone with the U.S. for 5, 7, or 10 years, the standard of living in Ukraine could potentially surpass that of Eastern and Central Europe. All that remains, the expert adds, is to also discuss the liberalization of visa regimes for a deeper connection between Ukrainian and American societies, as well as to join the EU—and then Ukraine will find a very comfortable place on the geopolitical map. But for this, a decision on a peace agreement is necessary.

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