Spotlight On Ukraine: A Promising Future For M&A Activity

In March 2014, this blog featured an article discussing the effect of the recent crisis in Ukraine on M&A activity. The crisis began in November 2013 when Ukrainians protested en masse after then-president Viktor Yanukovych failed to sign an association agreement with the European Union. Yanukovyvh was ousted in February 2014. During that time and following, violent protest, armed conflict between separatist forces and the Ukrainian government, and the annexation of Crimea by Russia, played a substantial role in the contraction of Ukraine's economy by 8% in the year 2014. Since this time, Ukraine has undertaken a number of steps that may signal an improvement in the economy. For example, on January 1, 2016, Ukraine officially joined the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area to reduce trade barriers with the EU markets and enhance regulatory standards.