Ukraine increased exports of semi-finished products by 35.8% y/y in January–June

In January–June 2026, Ukraine’s steelworks increased their exports of semi-finished steel products by 35.8% compared with the same period in 2025, reaching 766.6 thousand tonnes. This is according to calculations by the GMK Centre based on data from the State Customs Service.

The main export destinations over the six-month period were Bulgaria – 302.88 thousand tonnes (+26.9% y-o-y), Turkey – 111.23 thousand tonnes (32% y-o-y), and Poland – 92.98 thousand tonnes (-0.5% y-o-y).

In June, Ukraine increased shipments of semi-finished products by 178.4% compared with June 2025, but reduced them by 1.1% compared with the previous month – to 163.18 thousand tonnes. Exports to Bulgaria totalled 57.53 thousand tonnes (+84.6% y/y; +42.8% m/m), to Turkey — 5.48 thousand tonnes (0 thousand tonnes in June 2025; -84% m/m), and to Poland — 22.4 thousand tonnes (+5% y/y; +47.2% m/m).

In the second quarter, exports of semi-finished products by Ukrainian companies rose by 64.4% y/y and 38.2% q/q – to 444.78 thousand tonnes.

Export revenue for the first six months rose by 39.6% y/y – to $388.65 million; in June, it fell by 1.1% m/m but increased by 196.6% y/y – to $87.6 million. In the second quarter, the figure rose by 68.7% y/y and 55.1% q/q – to $236.32 million.

As reported by GMK Center, at the end of 2025, Ukrainian steelmakers had reduced their exports of semi-finished steel products by 26.4% compared with the same period in 2024, to 1.39 million tonnes. Export revenue for the 12-month period fell by 28.9% year-on-year to $659.62 million.

The main export destinations for semi-finished products during this period were Bulgaria — 461.34 thousand tonnes (-22.5% year-on-year), Turkey – 216.34 thousand tonnes (+0.3% year-on-year), Poland – 291.41 thousand tonnes and Egypt – 99.26 thousand tonnes (-72.1% year-on-year).

In the fourth quarter, exports of semi-finished products rose by 25.4% compared with the same period in 2024 and by 18.5% compared with the previous quarter — to 446.67 thousand tonnes, whilst revenue from these exports rose by 23.9% year-on-year and 21.9% quarter-on-quarter, to $209.38 million.