In brief
The EU’s new steel quotas, aimed at tackling cheap imports from China and Turkey, have hit Ukraine’s major producer Metinvest hard, with CEO Yuriy Ryzhenkov calling the policy unfair. Ukraine’s steel sector, a pillar of its economy, suffers not only from the tariffs but also from relentless Russian bombardment. The company estimates exports to the EU could drop by 50‑60 % under the current restrictions. With no alternative markets and a war‑damaged industry, Metinvest seeks a carve‑out to keep its steel flowing across the border.
Steel Battle: EU Tariffs, Chinese Goods and Ukraine’s Fight
European Union tariffs on imported steel have been designed to protect local manufacturers from cheap products coming from China and Turkey. However, the restrictions also bundle Ukraine together with those countries, leaving one of its largest steel producers, Metinvest, struggling to export its metal to the EU.
CEO Yuriy Ryzhenkov says the quota cuts trade by 50‑60 % and that the company is not given the same chances as other exporters. “Access to the European market is crucial for survival,” he says, urging the EU to grant a specific carve‑out for Ukraine.
The steel sector, which accounted for a third of Ukraine’s exports before Russia’s full‑scale invasion, is now facing a double blow. In addition to tariffs, the industry is still hit by air strikes and shelling, with several mills destroyed and nearly 800 Metinvest workers killed in the conflict.
Despite the war effort, the EU maintains that it has included Ukraine’s quota in the policy and has offered compensations to its biggest suppliers. But the loss of 60 % of its EU market hits the company’s bottom line hard, and leaders of the industry call for a new, fairer arrangement.
