Metinvest chief urges EU to exempt Ukraine from steel import curbs

Metinvest chief executive Yuriy Ryzhenkov has urged the EU to exempt Ukraine from steel import restrictions, saying the measures unfairly group it with countries such as China and Turkey. He argues that access to the EU market is vital to the Ukrainian industry’s survival as it faces Russian attacks and the loss of other export routes.

The EU has capped annual steel imports eligible for duty-free access at 18.3 million tonnes, 47% below 2024 levels, while setting country-specific quotas. Ukraine’s steel industry estimates its exports to the EU could fall by 50–60%; the European Commission says Ukraine has a dedicated quota and that its difficult circumstances were considered, though the quota is lower than in past years. Before Russia’s full-scale invasion, metallurgy and mining accounted for about 10% of Ukraine’s national income and a third of its exports.