“Ukrposhta has signed an exclusive agreement with an American company: what will change for Ukrainians’ shipments
27 November 14:57
“Ukrposhta has signed an $8 million contract with Zonos, an American company, to become its exclusive customs clearance agent for all Ukrainian shipments to the United States.
This is stated in the Prozorro system, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
It is noted that the agreement was concluded without a tender, as Zonos is the only technically authorized operator with whom the US Customs and Border Protection works after the change in import rules.
What happened
The contract will be valid until the end of 2026 and will cover the collection and transfer of duties for postal items going from Ukraine to the United States. The need for such services arose after US President Donald Trump canceled the de minimis regime in July 2025, which allowed duty-free import of parcels up to $800.
The new rules stipulate that the duty must be collected before shipment by the carrier or broker, otherwise the parcels will be delayed, returned or confiscated. For Ukrposhta, this means a radical change in logistics.
In 2024, the Universal Postal Union signed a framework agreement with Zonos and announced that it would cooperate exclusively with this company to calculate and pay duties in the United States. Zonos is officially registered as a qualified party with the US Customs Service and has a special authorization to transfer duties.
What will Ukrposhta get
Zonos will provide the Ukrainian operator with
- free access to the API for calculating shipping costs and customs payments
- tools for prepayment of customs duties;
- creation of a dashboard for operators and customers.
The role of Zonos is limited to customs payments – the company is not involved in the transportation or clearance of parcels.
What does this mean for Ukrainians sending mail to the US
Senders will pay import duties when clearing a parcel in Ukraine, and the likelihood of delays due to customs inspections in the United States will be significantly reduced. In addition, the cost of shipping will increase, but parcels will not risk being returned or confiscated.
The abolition of de minimis was a blow to the international trade in small parcels, especially from countries that actively sell goods through marketplaces.
Zonos has been operating since 2009, is based in Utah and specializes in international logistics and customs payments. Its investors include Silversmith Capital Partners and other venture capital companies.
