Security guarantees and market access are key conditions for investment in Ukraine – Metinvest CEO

Yuriy Ryzhenkov tells CNN that without security and open markets, business will not be able to recover after the war

In an interview with US television channel CNN, Metinvest Group CEO Yuriy Ryzhenkov shared his assessment of the state of Ukrainian industry during the war and the conditions necessary for business recovery and attracting investment. According to him, the fourth year of the war remains extremely difficult for Ukraine’s industry and economy.

“Unfortunately, the latest attack also affected our employees in their homes in the Zaporizhzhia region and Kryvyi Rih. It is extremely difficult, but the country continues to live and business continues to operate. We are doing everything possible to achieve victory,” he said.

Currently, the company’s enterprises are operating at 65-70% of their pre-war capacity, which has been made possible thanks to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which restored the Black Sea trade route, and Ukrainian industry, which expanded its export destinations.

Regarding foreign policy and US support, the CEO of Metinvest noted that the administrations of various presidents have consistently supported Ukraine.

«As far as I understand, Donald Trump’s administration also supports Ukraine and wants to end this war – it just has its own approach. For our part, we are holding on, doing everything we can, and we will see how events unfold,» he added.

According to Ryzhenkov, the most important issue is security.

«Ukraine needs investment security guarantees to restore confidence and attract capital. The second critical task is the openness of markets, primarily the European market. After all, this is not just a question of exports – it is a question of survival. So, the two main conditions for us are security guarantees and access to markets,» emphasized the CEO of Metinvest.

He also stressed that the potential of Ukrainian rare minerals for the global market will only become available after the war ends.

Ryzenkov noted that the company continues to invest, but the scale of such investments does not meet the needs of the Ukrainian economy.

“We would be happy to see new investors, especially from the US, who would help restore the country’s economy,” he concluded.

As GMK Center reported earkuer, in the first half of 2025, Metinvest Group recorded a loss of $58 million, compared to a profit of $179 million in the same period of 2024. Revenue fell by 13% year-on-year – to $3.55 billion. The main reason was the shutdown of Metinvest Pokrovskvugillya, which deprived the company of its own coking coal and weakened vertical integration. Additional pressure came from the shutdown of Ingulets Mining and the fall in world prices for steel and ore.