- December 3, 2025
- 4:03 pm
- Israel
Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Taras Kachka began an official visit to Israel on December 3, 2025. The program includes a meeting of the intergovernmental economic commission, chaired on the Israeli side by the Minister for Jerusalem and Tradition Ze’ev Elkin, as well as meetings with President Isaac Herzog, Minister of Economy Nir Barkat, and Minister of Agriculture Avi Dichter.
One of the key events of the visit will be the unveiling of a monument to the victims of the Holodomor in Jerusalem — an important symbolic gesture of remembrance and recognition of the tragedy of the Ukrainian people.
Meeting with the Israeli Foreign Minister
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar held a meeting today at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem with Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka. This is the first visit of a high-ranking Ukrainian representative to Israel since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022. Initially, a one-on-one meeting took place, followed by an expanded discussion with the participation of delegations.
Kachka arrived in Israel as the co-chair of the Joint Ukrainian-Israeli Economic Commission, chaired on the Israeli side by Minister Ze’ev Elkin. The visit follows Foreign Minister Sa’ar’s trip to Kyiv in July.
During the meeting, the parties discussed the situation on the front and diplomatic contacts around it, as well as bilateral relations between Israel and Ukraine. Minister Sa’ar welcomed the visit and noted that Israel is aware of the difficult times Ukraine is experiencing and the suffering of the Ukrainian people.
The creation of a joint dialogue between Israel and Ukraine on the Iranian threat was also discussed — an initiative agreed upon by Minister Sa’ar and Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha during Sa’ar’s visit to Kyiv. The parties agreed that work in this direction will begin soon. Minister Sa’ar emphasized the importance and necessity of Ukraine recognizing Hamas and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran as terrorist organizations.
Negotiations in the Knesset: trade, investment, innovation
One of the central points of the visit was Taras Kachka’s meeting with Israel’s Minister of Economy Nir Barkat in the Knesset.
As the head of the intergovernmental Ukrainian-Israeli commission on trade and economic cooperation, Kachka discussed three key areas:
- expanding bilateral trade and opportunities for turnover growth;
- strengthening the legal framework for economic cooperation, including services and investments;
- developing innovative exchange, especially in agricultural technologies, critically important for the modernization and increase of Ukraine’s processing capacities.
Kachka emphasized that the war should not block the development of business ties:
“Logistics adapts to military conditions, which means we have opportunities to strengthen economic dialogue,” he noted.
Israel’s Position
Israel’s Minister of Economy Nir Barkat recalled that he personally visited Ukraine six months after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
According to Barkat, he was “impressed by Ukraine’s resilience and the resilience of Ukrainian business, which continues to operate no matter what.”
The parties discussed Ukraine’s potential in future recovery — from investments to joint economic projects, and agreed to develop new areas of mutually beneficial cooperation.
Who is Taras Kachka
Taras Kachka (born July 28, 1979) is a Ukrainian lawyer, diplomat, and one of the key architects of Ukraine’s foreign economic policy in recent years. In July 2025, he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, receiving one of the central portfolios in the Ukrainian government system.
Professional Training
Kachka received a legal education in Kyiv, continued his studies in Warsaw at the National School of Public Administration, and specialized in European law and public administration. This defined his career as an expert in harmonizing Ukrainian legislation with EU norms.
Career
Since the early 2000s, he worked in the structures of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, dealing with the adaptation of legislation to European standards. Later, he held leadership positions in the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, and then in the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, where he was responsible for strategic development and interaction with large businesses.
In 2019, Kachka was appointed Deputy Minister of Economy and Trade Representative of Ukraine, where he oversaw foreign trade, relations with the EU, cooperation with the WTO, and the development of export policy. During this period, he became Ukraine’s chief negotiator on trade agreements.
Why his visit to Israel is important
As the head of the Ukrainian-Israeli intergovernmental commission, Taras Kachka is responsible for trade, investment, services, innovation, and technological cooperation between the two countries. His visit to Israel is part of systematic work to prepare Ukraine for entry into European and Middle Eastern markets, as well as strengthening political and economic ties in wartime conditions.
Context of the Visit
The Ukraine-Israel Economic Commission had not convened for several years due to the war, pandemic, and political circumstances. The resumption of its work is an important signal for business and for the restoration of direct dialogue between the countries.
At the same time, the unveiling of the Holodomor victims’ monument in Jerusalem strengthens the humanitarian and historical connection between the states and the Ukrainian community in Israel. This emphasizes that bilateral relations are developing not only at the economic level but also at the level of memory, values, and joint initiatives, regularly reported by NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency.