Despite 16 months of war against Ukraine, Russia remains the country’s single largest trading partner, with $3.4 billion exchanging hands in the first quarter of this year.

Comprising 14 percent of Ukraine’s total foreign

trade turnover, the bilateral trade figures signify the extent to which

Ukraine’s Soviet-era industries of metals, machinery and locomotives are still

tied to Russia’s. It also underscores the Ukrainian economy’s failure to

diversify by improving quality standards to tap other markets, in particular,

the European Union.