Turkey–Ukraine Freight & Free Trade Agreement 2026 | ETS

In short. Ukraine and Turkey are launching a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) — a deal that removes duties on most goods traded between the two countries. For businesses shipping freight between the two countries, the real question isn’t “exactly when,” but “how do I prepare my logistics.” Below: what the FTA means in plain terms, how the duty change does (and doesn’t) affect Turkey–Ukraine freight shipping, and how ETS operates on this route. ETS ships freight between Turkey and Ukraine already, regardless of when the agreement takes effect, and is ready to scale volumes as trade conditions change.

What the Turkey–Ukraine FTA actually is

A free trade agreement is a deal between two countries to eliminate or significantly reduce import duties on each other’s goods. A duty is a tax a government charges at the border; removing it makes goods cheaper and more competitive.

The Ukraine–Turkey agreement took a long time to materialize: negotiations began in 2011, the document was signed in February 2022, and its actual launch was delayed by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In summer 2026, Ukraine’s parliament (Verkhovna Rada) completed ratification on the Ukrainian side — the final domestic step. The agreement takes effect two months after both countries complete their procedures and exchange ratification instruments.

Key terms for business

• Turkey removes duties on 10,337 product categories — 95% of everything Ukraine exports.
• 167 metallurgical product categories are subject to tariff quotas of at least 411,000 tons annually.
• Ukraine keeps duties on used cars and second-hand goods, and applies three- and five-year transition periods for new vehicles and light-industry products.
• Ukraine retains the right to charge an export duty on scrap metal.

How the duty change affects logistics — and what it doesn’t change

This is the point most often misunderstood. Removing the duty affects the landed cost of goods for the owner — and, as a result, the decision to grow trade volumes. But it does not automatically change:

• customs clearance procedures,
• the required set of shipping documents (CMR, invoice, packing list, etc.),
• VAT rates,
• the route or mode of transport.

In other words, the FTA makes the Turkey route more attractive for trade, but the logistics itself — route, transport, documents, customs clearance — remains the same task that still needs to be organized correctly. The agreement also applies selectively: duties are removed by specific product category, so it’s worth checking your cargo’s HS code with a customs broker in advance.

What moves between Turkey and Ukraine

According to Anna Ovsyannikova, Head of Logistics at ETS, the most common cargo categories on imports from Turkey are industrial equipment and components, automotive wheels/rims, chemical agricultural products (ADR) and fertilizers, medical supplies, food products (syrups), plus textiles and footwear. LTL (less-than-truckload) consolidated shipments are the dominant format.

ETS Experience on the Turkey–Ukraine Route

ETS has been working the Turkey route long before this agreement — it’s an established shipping lane. Two examples from practice:

Prosthetic parts: LTL shipment Istanbul—Kyiv—Poltava. 4 pallets, 1,340 kg. Consolidation of the LTL shipment at the consolidation hub in Istanbul, customs clearance with partners, customs clearance in Kyiv, transfer to smaller transport for final delivery to Poltava. Result — delivered in 10 days, no damage, no claims. 

Generators from Istanbul. LTL shipment where the weight and volume changed three times during documentation. ETS worked through its Istanbul partners to confirm accurate data, sourced the right transport, and delivered on time. [link: ⚠️ not verified]

Both cases illustrate the standard operating model on this route: consolidating LTL shipments in Istanbul, partner-based customs support in both countries, and — where needed — splitting the route into stages (international leg + local delivery on smaller transport), which reduces the final cost for the client.

How to prepare your logistics for new volumes

ETS logistics specialists recommend companies planning to work with Turkey start preparing early — this allows shipments to launch quickly once the new trade terms take effect. Two concrete steps:

1. Agree on the route, transport mode, and required documents with your logistics partner in advance.
2. Line up customs brokers who will handle border clearance in Ukraine.

This helps avoid delays and errors at the start of shipments. Final decisions on specific contracts and customs payments are best made once the agreement officially takes effect — when all the details of how the duty relief applies to specific product categories are known.

Ready to calculate a shipment from Turkey?

ETS already organizes international freight between Turkey and Ukraine — primarily as LTL consolidated shipments, with full customs and documentation support.

• Review the terms on the Turkey–Ukraine freight shipping page. 
• Get an estimated cost via the shipping calculator. 
• Or leave a request — a manager will confirm route details and suggest the best delivery format.