Turkish steel exports to Ukraine grew by 36.1% y/y in January-August

Ukraine entered the top five key export destinations

In January-August 2025, Turkey increased its total steel exports by 9.9% compared to the same period in 2024, to 12.84 million tons. Ukraine became one of the key destinations for supplies: in 8 months, the volume of exports reached 609,900 tons, which is 36.1% more y/y. As a result, Ukraine ranked fifth among the largest consumers of Turkish products, ahead of a number of EU and Middle Eastern countries. This was reported by the Turkish Steel Exporters Association.

Romania remains the leader in terms of import volumes, receiving more than 1.21 million tons of steel from Turkey (+13.8% y/y). It is followed by Italy with almost 1 million tons (+5.7% y/y) and Spain with 656,640 tons (+37.3% y/y). At the same time, the most rapid growth was recorded in exports to Morocco, with supplies increasing by 137.7% y/y to 683,300 tons.

Construction reinforcement and hot-rolled products occupy the leading positions in the commodity structure of Turkish exports. Over eight months, exports of reinforcement bars grew by 16.9% y/y – to 2.62 million tons, and hot-rolled flat products by 24.8% y/y – to 2.61 million tons. At the same time, supplies of welded pipes decreased slightly (-0.4%) and amounted to 1.32 million tons.

The most dynamic growth occurred in the billets segment, whose exports increased sixfold to 360,600 tons.

As reported by GMK Center, supplies of rolled steel from Turkey to the Ukrainian market in January-June 2025 increased by 47.9% compared to the same period in 2024, to 405.84 thousand tons. Thus, the share of Turkish products in Ukrainian imports reached 59.5% compared to 49.6% a year earlier.

As previously noted by Olexander Kalenkov, president of the Ukrmetprom business association, the sharp increase in imports, particularly from Turkey and China, already poses a direct threat to Ukrainian producers. The increase in the long-length rolled products segment—reinforcing bars and wire rod, which Ukrainian companies are capable of producing themselves—is particularly critical.

According to Kalenkov, the situation requires urgent intervention by the state, as imported products often enjoy price advantages due to the use of cheap energy and steel billets from Russia. Such competition is unfair and puts Ukrainian factories at a disadvantage.

Ukrmetprom emphasizes that if appropriate protective measures are not taken, Ukrainian manufacturers may permanently lose the domestic market, which should serve as a “safety cushion” for the industry during the war and post-war recovery.