Trade

Russia

Export Partners: Netherlands (11.9% of exports), China (8.3%)
Germany (7.4%), Italy (6.5%), Turkey (5.6%), Belarus (4.4%), and Japan (4.2%)

Import Partners: China (19.2%), Germany (11.2%), US (6.4%), Belarus (4.8%),  and Italy (4.6%)

Total Exports: $259.3 billion as of 2016
Total Imports: $165.1 billion as of 2016

The most import segments of Russia's economy are the agricultural, industrial, and services sectors. However, the primary exports are petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, metals, wood and wood products, chemicals and a wide variety of manufactured products. Russia's primary imports are machinery, vehicles, pharmaceutical products, plastic, semi-finished metal products, meat, fruits, nuts, medical instruments, iron, and steel.


Current Events Affecting Trade:
Russia's closed off relationship with the West has negatively affected trade. Western sanctions and a significant trading relationship between the EU and the U.K is negatively affecting trade between both trade partner with total exports falling nearly 24% in value between 2015 and 2016. Many of Russia's exports to the EU are in the form of oil and natural gas. A decline in energy prices as limited the benefits Russia receives from trade with other nations. However, trade has been growing steadily through 2012 with the EU accounting for as much as 41% of Russia's exports, so more stability in trade may not be unlikely in the future.


Ukraine

Export Partners: Russia (12.7%), Turkey (7.3%),  China (6.3%), Egypt (5.5%), Italy (5.2%), and Poland (5.2%)

Import Partners: Russia (20%), Germany (10.4%), China (10.1%), Belarus (6.5%), Poland (6.2%), and Hungary (4.2%)

Total Exports:  $33.97 billion as of 2016

Total Imports: $38.3 billion as of 2016

Ukraine's exports are very similar to Russia's. They export ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery, transport equipment, and foodstuffs. Ukraine's primary imports are energy, machinery, and equipment, as well as chemical products.

Current Events Affecting Trade:
However, Ukraine's ability to trade has been negatively impacted in recent years. Political unrest has made manufacturing difficult causing some firms to shut down because of limited production capacity thus dragging on trade. Furthermore, the looming fear of Russian intervention in Ukraine has limited investment thus further limits Ukraine's production capacity. Between 2015 and 2016, exports in Ukraine fell by 4.3%.