Ukrainian metallurgists have lost their customs privileges in the US as new Trump tariffs take effect.

On March 12, a 25% import duty on steel and aluminum introduced by US President Trump came into force. This decision directly impacts Ukraine, which was previously exempt from duties on steel and steel product imports.

Although Ukrainian metal products account for only 0.5% of total U.S. steel imports, they represent 58% of Ukraine’s exports to the US. Pipe exports will be the hardest hit by the duties: Last year, 93,000 tons of pipe products worth $113M were exported from Ukraine to the US. Now, all of Ukraine’s previous exemptions regarding the import of steel and its derivatives have been rescinded.

Trump’s decree indicates that the removal of duties on Ukrainian steel did not benefit Ukraine, instead leading to profit for other European producers. Imports from Ukraine have remained at 0.5% of total US imports, while imports from the EU surged from 11.2% to 14.8%. EU companies utilized Ukrainian semi-finished products for production and export to the US, circumventing tariffs. Trump’s tariffs apply to all suppliers.