In brief
The chief executive of Metinvest has voiced concerns that the EU’s recent steel quotas, intended to protect member‑state producers, are disproportionately affecting Ukraine, an important steel supplier that faces ongoing Russian attacks. He argues Ukraine was bundled with other importers without accounting for the war’s impact and demands a carve‑out or reduced quota. The EU maintains it considered Ukraine’s situation, offering compensations to key suppliers, but the new limits could cut Ukrainian exports to the bloc by 50‑60%. Amid continued air raids and halted production, the company stresses the urgency of access to EU markets for survival.
Metinvest, one of Ukraine’s largest steel producers, argues the European Union’s recent import quota is unfair and harmful to its exports.
The chief executive, Yuriy Ryzhenkov, told the BBC that the EU caps the tax‑free amount of imported steel at 18.3 million tonnes per year – a 47 % cut from 2024 levels – and that the policy does not distinguish between Ukrainian and other exporters, despite the ongoing war.
He highlighted that Ukraine was “bundled together” with other importers in the quotas, stating that the industrial sector is at a crucial juncture because the EU is its main market, and that a 60 % reduction could push export volumes down by half.
The European Commission maintained that Ukraine’s situation was taken into account, noting a specific steel quota for the country but admitting that the allowed quantity is lower than in previous years. It also said it had “offered compensations” to its largest suppliers, including Ukrainian firms.
Metinvest’s Ryzhenkov said war‑related strikes on Ukrainian steel mills have been intermittent from 2022 but escalated recently. He added that at one point in September, the country produced no steel for the first time in about 150 years.
He further praised efforts to improve safety by expanding protection shelters for workers during air raids and urged continued focus on procedures that keep staff safe. He warned that the upcoming winter could be the hardest in the company’s history because of “dire logistics” if access to markets remains restricted.
Ukraine’s steel industry is a cornerstone of its economy, supplying roughly 10 % of the national income and a third of its exports before the 2022 invasion, with the European Union being the top customer. The ongoing conflict and the new EU quotas threaten the resilience of this vital sector.
