The culture of business meetings in Ukraine.

Relationships play a very important role in Ukrainian business. The most important contracts are signed during business meetings. Therefore, we strongly recommend making business trips to Ukraine, participating in exhibitions in Ukraine, and meeting with business partners.

The format of business meetings in Ukraine is highly dependent on the size of the company, experience of working with foreign business. But in general, all Ukrainian companies will observe business etiquette, offer coffee, tea, water, and pay a lot of attention to their guests.

Statistics show that 63% of Ukrainians speak English at an intermediate level. This is true for the sales teams of international distributors, but in other cases in practice you will need an interpreter. We strongly recommend that find an interpreter for the business trip in Ukraine and meet with him or her before the scheduled negotiations to discuss the negotiation plan, familiarize him with specific terminology.

It is customary to make appointments at least 1 week in advance. It is also considered polite to confirm the appointment shortly before the day of the meeting.

Recommendations for a business trip to Ukraine.

Regular updates on Covid-19 and travel restrictions can be found on the website of your country’s Embassy in Ukraine.

Foreign citizens are urged not to arrange business trips to the eastern regions of Donetsk and Lugansk, as well as to Crimea now.

Obtaining a visa for a business trip to Ukraine.

If you plan a business trip to Ukraine, you will need a passport, which ends no earlier than six months after the date of travel. Foreign nationals require proof of valid health insurance and sufficient funds for the duration of their stay. Please visit the websites of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine or the Ukrainian Embassy in your country for the latest information on visas.

Currency in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian national currency is the hryvnia (UAH), pronounced GREEV-NA. The UAH is subdivided into 100 kopecks. The hryvnia is not pegged to the dollar or any other currency. You can find out the current exchange rate on the website of the National Bank of Ukraine:

https://bank.gov.ua/en/markets/exchangerates?date=2021-12-28&period=daily

Transactions in foreign currency are prohibited in Ukraine. During your business trip in Ukraine you can exchange your money at a bank or exchange office. There are many exchange offices both in large and small towns. It is extremely difficult to exchange Ukrainian currency outside of Ukraine, so do not forget to convert hryvnia to your country’s currency before you return from the Ukrainian business trip.

There are also many ATM machines in large cities. We recommend that you use ATMs of large banks such as PrivatBank, Oschad, Credit Agricole, and others. Credit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay are also widespread in Ukraine.

Electricity and telecommunications.

In Ukraine, 2 types of sockets are widespread: type C and type F.

Type C is the so-called EURO socket. It fits both C type and F type plugs.

Type F are sockets that fit C and E plugs.

Volts in Ukraine – 220V, frequency – 50 Hz.

4G Internet is widespread in Ukraine. The most popular mobile operators are KyivStar, Vodafone and Lifecell. Wi-Fi is widespread in hotels, cafes, public places.

Transport in Ukraine.

During a business trip to Ukraine, use only taxis with special markings. You should be told the cost of a taxi in advance when you order a taxi by phone. If you catch a taxi on the street, the price with the driver must be negotiated before the trip.

Taxi applications such as Uber, Uklon, Bolt are also popular in Ukraine. They are generally safe.

For safety reasons, we do not recommend that you sit in an unmarked taxi, in a taxi with other passengers and in the front seat of a taxi. Also, do not get into Bolt, Uber, or Uklon if the car model, driver, or license plate does not match the information in the app.

Metro, buses, trolleybuses and trams are widespread. During a business trip to Ukraine in public transport or in crowded places, keep a bag or backpack in front of your body or tightly under your arm.

Both local and international car rental companies operate in Ukraine:

  • Avis, tel.: +380 (44) 502-2010
  • Europcar, tel.: +380 (44) 220-3500
  • Budget, tel .: +380 (44) 490-1088
  • Hertz, tel .: +380 (44) 359-0991

Business trip on Ukrainian railway is an inexpensive and fairly convenient way to get anywhere in Ukraine. The train ride is slower than the bus or taxi and is generally comfortable and safe. The train schedule is available on the Ukrzaliznytsia website (https://www.uz.gov.ua/ru/passengers/timetable/).

If you prefer to use air communication for business trips to Ukraine, you are more likely to arrive at Boryspil International Airport (https://kbp.aero/). This airport is located 30 km from the center of Kyiv.

The second important airport is Zhuliany (https://iev.aero/en/), this airport serves most of the domestic Ukrainian flights and is located 7 km from the center of the capital.

Language in Ukraine.

Since 1990, Ukraine has only one state language – Ukrainian. In Kyiv, in the East, Center and South of Ukraine, the Russian language is also widely spoken. For the preparation of official documents, as well as in the media, only the Ukrainian language is used. The number of people who speak English is growing every year. Before a business trip, we recommend that you learn a few words from a basic Ukrainian phrasebook, such as:

  • BOOD LASKA (please / you’re welcome);
  • DYA-KOO-YOU (thank you);
  • DOBRIY DEHN (hello, good day).

Healthcare in Ukraine.

All visitors from abroad must have medical insurance for the duration of their business trip to Ukraine.

Private doctors and private hospitals charge fees for their services, but the prices are very affordable. Some clinics may not accept local health insurance.

At the state clinic, you can only pay in cash. At the same time, bank cards are accepted in almost all private clinics.

We recommend taking prescription drugs with you on a business trip to Ukraine and carrying them in your hand luggage.

We recommend not buying street food and drinking tap water.

Local time, opening hours and holidays in Ukraine.

Ukrainian time is EST + 7 (Eastern Standard Time) and GMT + 2 (Helsinki). During your business trip to Ukraine you should remember, that in Ukraine, every year there is a transition to daylight saving time from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.

In Ukraine, a 5-day workweek: 40 hours a week from Mon. on Fri. Opening hours: 9.00 – 18.00.

National holidays:

  • January 01, 2022 – New Year;
  • 07 January 2022 – Nativity of Christ;
  • 08 March 2022 – International Women’s Day;
  • April 24, 2022 – Easter;
  • May 01, 2022 – Labor Day;
  • May 09, 2022 – Victory Day;
  • June 12, 2022 – Trinity;
  • June 28, 2022 – Constitution Day of Ukraine;
  • August 24, 2022 – Independence Day of Ukraine;
  • October 14, 2022 – Day of the Defender of Ukraine;
  • December 25, 2022 – Christmas.

Import of personal belongings and materials to Ukraine.

In your business trip to Ukraine, you have the right to carry with you currency in the equivalent of up to 10,000 euros. If the amount of imported funds is more than 10,000 euros, the total amount must be declared with the provision of documents on the origin of the money.