BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 2. Ukraine and Uzbekistan have agreed to liberalize bilateral and transit road freight transportation, allowing Ukrainian carriers to operate between the two countries without transport permits on Sept. 30 via an online meeting.
This was reflected in the statement by Ukraine’s Minister for Recovery, Infrastructure and Transport, Mykola Kalashnyk.
Kalashnyk and Uzbekistan’s Transport Minister Ilkhom Makhkamov signed a protocol introducing the new permit-free regime, which is expected to reduce administrative procedures and waiting times for freight operators.
“For Ukrainian carriers, this means fewer administrative procedures and less time spent on permits. Freight transportation will no longer depend on the number of available permits,” Kalashnyk said.
The agreement comes as Ukraine seeks to develop alternative logistics routes to Central Asia following major disruptions to traditional transportation links caused by the full-scale war.
Trade between Ukraine and Uzbekistan reached about $315 million in 2025, an increase of 14% from the previous year, according to Kalashnyk. The liberalization of road freight transportation is expected to facilitate trade and create additional opportunities for businesses in both countries.
Ukraine has been expanding its network of permit-free freight agreements as part of efforts to simplify international road transportation. According to Kalashnyk, the country now has liberalized freight transportation with 38 countries, including EU member states.
The new protocol is expected to provide Ukrainian and Uzbek carriers with greater flexibility in organizing bilateral and transit shipments and support the development of alternative trade routes between Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
