Foreign economic cooperation between Ukraine and Romania as a driver of deepening integration into the European Union

Abstract

The article examines the current state, key features, and prospects for the development of foreign economic partnership between Ukraine and Romania in the context of deepening European integration and the transformation of international economic relations. The study analyzes the main areas of bilateral trade and economic cooperation, the dynamics and structure of foreign trade in goods and services, investment cooperation, transport and logistics collaboration, and cross-border relations between the two countries. The subject of the research is the characteristics, trends, and outcomes of the development of foreign economic cooperation between Ukraine and Romania within the framework of European integration, with particular attention to trade, investment, transport and logistics, and cross-border cooperation that facilitate Ukraine's integration into the European economic area. Special attention is paid to the changes in the nature of economic relations between Ukraine and Romania following the onset of Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine, which led to the reorientation of a significant share of Ukraine's export and import flows toward European Union markets and strengthened Romania's role as Ukraine's strategic economic and logistics partner. The purpose of the article is to examine the specific features of foreign economic cooperation between Ukraine and Romania, to assess its contribution to Ukraine's deeper integration into the European Union, and to identify promising directions for the further development of bilateral cooperation. The study considers the development of cooperation in the energy, transport, agricultural, and investment sectors, as well as the role of European Union cross-border cooperation programmes in strengthening economic ties between the two countries. The findings demonstrate that Romania is not only an important trading partner of Ukraine but also one of the key promoters of European values, standards, and governance practices essential for Ukraine's successful integration into the European Union. The article analyzes Romania's experience in aligning its national legislation with the EU acquis, implementing institutional reforms, attracting foreign investment, and effectively utilizing financial assistance provided by European funds. It also identifies opportunities for applying Romania's experience to support Ukraine's European integration process, economic modernization, infrastructure development, and the enhancement of national economic competitiveness. The results of the study indicate that the further deepening of foreign economic cooperation between Ukraine and Romania will contribute to the expansion of bilateral trade, increased investment activity, the development of international transport and logistics corridors, the strengthening of Ukraine's economic resilience, and the acceleration of its integration into the European economic area.