Recently Presidents Putin and Trump discussed the conditions for a ceasefire and peace in Ukraine. At SOBY, we followed closely, both from a humanitarian perspective and to assess the consequences of the conversation for our trade relations in the region. Danish national television visited us before the conversation to get our views on international trade and exports, as well as how geopolitical developments can affect our strategies and trade relations.
Like other Danish export companies with activities in Ukraine, SOBY is following the current geopolitical tensions closely. Ahead of the anticipated telephone conversation between Presidents Putin and Trump, SOBY's co-owner and CEO Mette Frantsen shared her thoughts with a journalist from Danish national television, who visited SOBY to shed light on Danish export companies' strategies for navigating a complex international landscape where politics and business are closely intertwined.
"On behalf of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, we are mostly concerned with the possibility of reaching a peace agreement. Additionally, we are of course attentive to opportunities that a peace agreement can open for us and our local partners," she says.
The war in Ukraine has had a visible effect on SOBY's operations in the Ukrainian market. "It's clear that our oeprations have been more difficult on all parameters. It's been difficult to transfer goods and develop market opportunities. Our dealers have not had the same opportunities to expand," explains Frantsen.
She explains that at the beginning of the war, the market actually increased, due to an accumulation of grain stock, which increased the need for storage. Since then, the trends have changed and 2024 has seen a significant decline. "It's been a challenge, but we've done our best to support our dealers by finding the solutions they needed, where there was still some business opportunities for them," she explains.
The prospects of a possible ceasefire and stabilization of the region aspires hope and Mette Frantsen emphasizes that this is first and foremost on behalf of the Ukrainian people. "We hope with all our hearts that Ukraine and the Ukrainian people will have peace. Having said that, we also hope that it can bring back some opportunities in our business that we have previously been good at utilizing," she concludes, reflecting SOBY's ambitions to return to and expand market activities in Ukraine.