The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has published its January macroeconomic and monetary review, which indicates key events affecting the country's economy. One of the main topics is the losses that Ukraine suffered due to the blockade of the border by Poland.
- Export losses: In November, the country lost approximately $160 million in exports due to the blockade of some land crossing points in western Ukraine. This applies primarily to deliveries of processed food products, wood and industrial products by motor vehicles. Activation of supplies via the sea route partially neutralized the negative impact of the blockade, contributing to the growth of total export volumes.
- Import losses: The inability to use the Polish border and the threat of similar problems on the border with Slovakia led to an estimated loss of $700 million to Ukrainian importers. Purchases of engineering products, chemicals, and consumer goods felt the most. The import of oil products was able to reorient itself to rail transportation, increasing purchases by 12%.
- Labor shortage: Ukrainian businesses are short of workers, and there is a disparity between the number of vacancies and the level of resume submission. A special deficit is noted in the regions, especially in trade and medicine.
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Increase in the number of migrants: During December 2023, the number of Ukrainian migrants increased by 30 thousand people, reaching the mark of 6.34 million. The largest number of temporary protection statuses were issued in Germany (1.2 million), Poland (0.95 million) and the Czech Republic (0.4 million). It is noted that Ukrainians living abroad demonstrate a high level of adaptation, particularly in the Czech Republic.
