Uzbekistan and Ukraine have begun preparations to revive their Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation. This was announced by Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oleksandr Mishchenko, following his official visit to Tashkent.

According to Mishchenko, both nations are currently drafting the agenda with the goal of convening a formal session within the year.

"We are working to create the necessary conditions to restart the Intergovernmental Commission, which hasn’t met in decades... Hypothetically, we believe seven to eight months will be sufficient to lay the groundwork. Once we agree on a viable agenda, we will hold a meeting at the level of economy ministers," Mishchenko stated. He added, "I expect we’ll be able to discuss more specific details in about three or four months."

While in Tashkent, the Ukrainian delegation also held talks at the Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade. Discussions focused on key sectors such as pharmaceuticals and agribusiness. Mishchenko noted that the Ukrainian private sector has already initiated engagement.

"I arrived nearly simultaneously with a business delegation organized by the Federation of Employers of Ukraine, who held several meetings prior to my visit. They explored opportunities in pharmacology, agriculture, machinery, and automotive manufacturing. For instance, your MAN plant is very impressive—it produces chassis, and we are looking into that," Mishchenko remarked.

In tandem, the two sides are exploring a broader economic framework, including the potential involvement of Uzbek companies in Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction.

"Naturally, COVID-19 and the full-scale war have left an undeniable mark [on economic activity]. In the early years of the conflict, Ukraine was focused purely on survival, marshaling every resource under grueling conditions. Back then, the war was defined by our partners providing us with whatever they could spare—items they no longer needed—which made things incredibly difficult. Today, the situation on the front lines is fundamentally different; we are now receiving exactly what we need. This represents a qualitative shift. The Ukrainian army has secured the weaponry necessary to repel enemy attacks with high efficiency.

Now, within this relatively stabilized environment—where the military is firmly holding the line—we are able to pursue a more successful diplomatic and negotiating policy. The time has come to look toward Ukraine’s post-war development," explained Oleksandr Mishchenko.

To this end, the Ukrainian delegation formally invited Uzbek representatives to participate in an international conference on Ukraine’s reconstruction, scheduled for June in Gdańsk, Poland.

"Uzbekistan’s interests can be represented there across the board—be it construction, processing, or consulting firms. Once a just peace is established, Ukraine will experience a massive construction boom as every industry begins to rebuild. Uzbekistan has cultivated extensive expertise in many of these fields, particularly in construction," the Deputy Foreign Minister noted.

As a point of context, the last meeting of the Uzbekistan-Ukraine Intergovernmental Commission took place in 2007. Following the first high-level political consultations between the two foreign ministries in over a decade—held in Tashkent in May 2021—plans were set in motion for a new commission session. However, diplomatic momentum was stalled by the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.