The EU could be Ukraine's reward for economic resilience

When the first Ukrainian-designed drone to be made in a German factory rolled off the production line last month, Volodymyr Zelenskyy knew it marked a turning point for the economy.

- By Phillip Inman

A drone produced by Quantum Frontline Industries, a German-Ukrainian joint venture

(ALEXANDRA BEIER/AFP/GETTY)

With drone-making ventures also well advanced in Finland and Denmark, war-torn Ukraine has shown how its businesses can break out of their bomb-threatened confines, becoming more integrated into the EU’s industrial network with each passing day.

Last year, the economy was expected to grow by 2% to 3%, but Russia’s rockets and drones reduced the rate of expansion to 1%.

This year, economic growth is expected to improve, though the persistent Russian attacks will cut expansion from a previously expected 2.2% to 1.8%, forecasters at Ukraine’s central bank said last month.

Last month, Brussels took another collaborative step, making it easier for Ukrainian-registered trucks to drive across borders with minimal paperwork. Deepening EU trade ties with Ukraine has taken years to negotiate - much too long, according to critics - but there are concrete moves to integrate Kyiv into the bloc that could lead to accession talks later this year.