Turkish and Chinese Steel Compete for Control in the Ukrainian Market
The Ukrainian steel market is heating up with fierce competition between Turkey and China. As Ukraine increases its steel imports amid post-war reconstruction efforts, both countries are rapidly expanding their presence, creating serious pressure on local producers. First-half 2025 data shows Turkish steel strengthening its lead, while Chinese exports are rising aggressively.
Turkey Solidifies Its Position as Ukraine’s Top Supplier
Between January and June 2025, Turkey’s steel exports to Ukraine surged by 47.9% year-on-year, reaching 405,800 tons. This impressive growth pushed Turkey’s market share to 59.5%, up from 49.6% just a year ago. According to GMK Center, Turkish exports of flat steel products rose by 42.8% to 325,600 tons, while long products jumped by 73.3% to 80,200 tons. The biggest contributors were coated flat steel (139,400 tons, up 67.3%) and hot-rolled flat steel (139,100 tons, up 28.6%). Even niche segments like angle iron saw a massive spike, with exports rising 80.9% to 46,800 tons.
China Makes Aggressive Gains in Long Products
China is also stepping up in Ukraine, with its steel exports growing by 69.7% in the first half of the year to 86,900 tons. This lifted China’s share in Ukraine’s total steel imports to 12.7%, up from 9.3%. While flat product exports rose by 43.6% to 66,200 tons, China’s most dramatic growth came in the long product segment, where exports soared by an astonishing 307% to 20,700 tons. One of the standout areas was hot-rolled flat steel, which saw a 225% increase, surpassing 26,000 tons.
Ukraine’s total steel imports are also growing in general. In the first six months of 2025, flat steel imports rose by 16.8% to 554,000 tons, while long product imports increased by a striking 62.6% to 127,800 tons. Much of this growth is directly tied to increased shipments from Turkey and China.
Ukrainian Producers Warn of Unfair Competition
Not everyone is celebrating this surge. Olexander Kalenkov, head of Ukraine’s steel industry association Ukrmetprom, has warned that Turkish and Chinese steel pose a serious risk to local producers, especially during a time when the country is still navigating the war and beginning to rebuild. Long products like rebar and wire rod—critical for construction—are flooding the market, creating pricing pressure for domestic manufacturers with existing capacity.
Kalenkov argues that imported steel often benefits from cheap energy and semi-finished products sourced from Russia, giving foreign suppliers an unfair edge. This, he says, distorts fair competition and threatens the long-term sustainability of Ukraine’s steel industry.
Industry leaders believe that the domestic market should act as a protective buffer for local producers during the war and reconstruction period. Without some form of support or regulation, they warn that Ukrainian factories may permanently lose market share. Experts also agree that demand for imported steel will remain high in the coming years due to rebuilding needs. However, the direction of this competition will largely depend on whether the Ukrainian government decides to introduce protective trade policies in response.
