In January-November of this year, Ukraine reduced exports of titanium-containing ores and concentrates in physical terms by 95.7% compared to the same period last year, to 277 tons.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS) on Friday, in monetary terms, exports of titanium-containing ores and concentrates fell by 95.2% to $496,000. The main exports were to Uzbekistan (35.61% of shipments in monetary terms), Turkey (35.01%), and Egypt (29.38%).
In addition, Ukraine imported 78 tons of titanium-containing ore worth $117,000 from China (98.29%, deliveries took place in January) and Kazakhstan (1.71%, deliveries took place in May) in the first 11 months of 2025.
During this period, Ukraine exported 2,466 tons of niobium, tantalum, vanadium, and zirconium ores and concentrates worth $3.954 million to Spain (48.90%), Germany (24.53%), and Italy (17.19%). At the same time, the country imported 441 tons of such ores worth $1.125 million from Spain (72.98%), the Czech Republic (12.89%), and China (11.82%).
As reported, in 2024, Ukraine reduced its exports of titanium-containing ores in physical terms by 37.5% compared to the previous year, to 7,284 thousand tons. In monetary terms, exports of titanium-containing ores and concentrates decreased by 40% to $11.654 million. The main exports were to Turkey (62.82% of shipments in monetary terms), Egypt (7.38%), and Poland (6.93%).
Last year, Ukraine imported 314 tons of titanium-containing ore worth $492 thousand from China (87.78%), Vietnam (6.11%), and Senegal (also 6.11%).
At the same time, experts pointed out the inconsistency of statistics on exports of titanium-containing ores. However, in response to a request from Interfax-Ukraine, the State Customs Service (SFS) of Ukraine stated that complete data on the export of titanium raw materials is not provided due to restrictions on the volume of export and import operations with military and dual-use goods, which are reflected in aggregate form under “Other goods.” They explained that, in particular, deliveries of titanium-containing ores from companies differ from the SCS data.
“We would like to inform you that these deliveries are included in the statistical exports from Ukraine, but are not reflected in the foreign trade statistics published by the State Customs Service (…) under commodity item UKTZED 2614 ”Titanium ores and concentrates” in view of the following (…) In accordance with the regulations (…), when protecting data for confidentiality purposes, any information considered confidential is reported in full at the next, higher level of product data aggregation,” the State Customs Service explained in its response to the agency.
It was clarified that information on customs clearance and movement across the customs border of Ukraine of goods subject to export control is included in the list of information containing official information in the SSU, in accordance with the relevant order.
In Ukraine, titanium-containing ores are currently mined mainly by PJSC “United Mining and Chemical Company” (UMCC), which manages the Vilnohirsk Mining and Metallurgical Plant (VGMK, Dnipropetrovsk region) and the Irshansk Mining and Processing Plant (IGZK, Zhytomyr region), as well as LLC “Mezhirichensky GZK” and LLC “Valky-Ilmenite” (both LLCs are located in Irshansk, Zhytomyr region). In addition, the production and commercial firm Velta (Dnipro) built a mining and processing plant at the Birzulivskyi deposit with a capacity of 240,000 tons of ilmenite concentrate per year.
Participants in the panel discussion “Connecting Economies: Cross-border Infrastructure and the Power of Partnership” at the Ukraine Recovery Forum in Bucharest emphasized that the development of border infrastructure and joint projects is a key condition for unlocking the economic potential of Ukrainian-Romanian cooperation, especially in the border regions of Chernivtsi and Zakarpattia Oblasts.
The discussion was moderated by Bogdan Bernyage, senior associate expert at the New Strategy Center (Romania). The panel was attended by Gheorghe Șoldan, chairman of the Suceava County Council (Romania), Mykhailo Pavliuk, deputy chairman of the Chernivtsi Regional Council, and Andrii Sheketa, first deputy chairman of the Zakarpattia Regional Council.
According to the participants, the economic partnership between Chernivtsi region and Romania is of strategic importance: Romania accounts for over 20% of the region’s foreign trade turnover. There is significant potential for deepening cooperation in the woodworking industry, where Chernivtsi’s raw material base can be combined with the processing capacities of the Romanian side. Opportunities for the development of joint projects in the fields of IT, tourism, agriculture, and transport were also noted. “Our regions are already closely linked by trade, the next step is to move from simple exports of raw materials to joint production chains,” Pavliuk said.
With regard to Zakarpattia, the participants emphasized that the reconstruction of the region is closely linked to its long-term development and the deepening of ties with Romania. Despite the fact that the region has the longest section of the common border with this country, the border infrastructure remains underdeveloped, and a number of checkpoints operate below their potential capacity. According to Sheketa, targeted infrastructure investments—in roads, rail approaches, and the modernization of border crossing points—are a necessary condition for improving connections between Transcarpathia and Romania and for making fuller use of the opportunities for cross-border cooperation.
Following the discussion, the participants concluded that the development of joint projects and the modernization of border infrastructure could strengthen the economic integration of border regions and create additional opportunities for business and employment on both sides of the border.
Given the difficult situation in the energy sector, the state-owned enterprise Forests of Ukraine has decided to support Ukrainian households and keep the price of firewood for the population (within the social norm of 15 cubic meters) and the social sector unchanged until the end of the heating season, the state-owned enterprise’s press service reported on Telegram.
It is also noted that in the first ten days of December, the state-owned enterprise sold approximately 100,000 cubic meters of firewood, which corresponds to consumption in the first ten days of November, i.e., the demand for firewood is high but stable. At the same time, the company ships 12-15 thousand cubic meters of firewood to the population and social sector daily, which does not exceed the figures of previous years.
“Despite prolonged power outages, Ukrainians did not start buying more firewood. In September-November, we sometimes received calls from residents of large cities who were planning to move to villages. They asked about the terms of purchase and the possibility of remote payment. In the last month, there have been almost no such requests. City dwellers either go to relatives who have already stocked up on firewood or stay at home,” the state-owned enterprise said.
Firewood is available in almost every forestry of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine.” Procurement is carried out at a high level, and the stock is constantly at least 150 thousand cubic meters. Deliveries to military units are also carried out on schedule and in full.
“Firewood, as before, will not be put up for auction—all supplies will be directed to the population,” assured “Forests of Ukraine.”
Participants in the panel discussion “The Strategic Role of the Danube in Logistics and Connectivity” at the international forum in Bucharest concluded that the Danube has become one of the key logistical and strategic corridors in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the growth of hybrid threats, and the need to strengthen NATO and EU military mobility. In their opinion, improving the resilience and security of the Danube infrastructure should be considered a priority not only for coastal states but also for the entire Euro-Atlantic community.
The panel was moderated by Stefan Hofmann, head of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation’s offices in Romania. The discussion was joined by Andriy Kashuba, Deputy Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine (via videoconference), George Scutaru, Director General of the New Strategy Center, Wilfried Jilge, Associate Expert at the German Council on Foreign Relations, and Rear Admiral (ret.), Senior Associate Expert at the New Strategy Center, former commander of the Romanian Navy’s Maritime Component Liviu Coman.
The speakers emphasized that after the start of the war in 2022, traditional transport routes in the region became overloaded or vulnerable to military and hybrid attacks. This accelerated the development and more intensive use of the Danube infrastructure as an alternative corridor. Ukraine, they said, relies critically on Danube ports to maintain grain exports and support broader supply chains, while repeated Russian strikes on port infrastructure have exposed its vulnerability.
Participants emphasized that attacks on port facilities on the Danube have demonstrated the need for accelerated modernization of transport, transshipment, and surveillance systems, as well as enhanced protection of maritime and river infrastructure. This included expanding port capacity, upgrading the fleet, digitizing logistics processes, and improving coordination between military and civilian structures.
Following the discussion, the panel concluded that the Danube is a strategic hub for the entire Euro-Atlantic security architecture—a corridor for military mobility, a vector for economic integration, and a platform for regional cooperation. Participants emphasized the need for closer coordination between Romania, Ukraine, and the Republic of Moldova, including Ukraine’s full integration into European military mobility programs, strengthening port infrastructure, removing administrative barriers, and creating joint mechanisms to counter hybrid threats. According to experts, strengthening the stability and security of the Danube corridor is not just a regional task, but a strategic condition for the stability of Europe as a whole.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed optimism about the prospects for peace in Ukraine after talks with Vladimir Putin in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Turkey’s Anadolu news agency reported.
Erdogan told reporters on the side of the plane that Ankara also hoped to talk to U.S. President Donald Trump to assess a potential peace plan.
“After this meeting with Putin, we hope to be able to also discuss the peace plan with US President Trump. Peace is around the corner; we see it,” Erdogan said, referring to his bilateral meeting with Putin in Turkmenistan on Saturday.
Speaking about regional security, Erdogan warned against turning the Black Sea into a confrontation zone. “The Black Sea should not be seen as an arena of rivalry. It will not benefit Russia or Ukraine. Everyone needs freedom of navigation and security in the Black Sea,” he said.
According to Serbian Economist, two cases of leprosy (Hansen’s disease) have been confirmed in Romania — the first in the country in over 40 years, authorities said. The disease was diagnosed in two massage therapists at a spa in the northwestern city of Cluj. Both patients are Indonesian citizens aged 21 and 25; two other people are being tested.
Health Minister Alexandru Rogobete said that visitors to the spa center should not panic, as prolonged contact is usually required for the infection to be transmitted. According to him, one of the patients recently returned from Asia, where she spent about a month with her mother, who was in the hospital with the same disease at the time. The authorities have suspended the spa center’s operations for the duration of the epidemiological investigation.
According to Romanian authorities, the last confirmed case of leprosy in the country was recorded 44 years ago (i.e., in the early 1980s).
An important clarification: we are talking about “the first cases in Romania in 40+ years,” not “the first in Europe” — the media sometimes likes to simplify headlines.
What does this mean for tourists and the healthcare system?
According to the authorities, the risk to spa customers is low: leprosy is usually transmitted through prolonged close contact with an untreated patient; casual contact is not considered a typical route of transmission.
The long incubation period makes it likely that the infection did not occur in Romania: symptoms can appear years later, sometimes up to 20 years after contact.
Closing the facility and testing contacts is a standard measure for rare imported infections: even with low contagiousness, it is important to quickly identify close contacts (including colleagues) and prevent further transmission.
The informational risk (fears/stigma) may be higher than the medical risk: leprosy has historically been highly stigmatized, although today it is curable and, with timely treatment, does not usually lead to disability.
What is leprosy (Hansen’s disease):
Causative agent: Mycobacterium leprae bacteria. The disease most often affects the skin and peripheral nerves.
Transmission: mainly through droplets from the nose/mouth during close and frequent contact with an untreated person. It is not spread through normal everyday contact (handshakes, hugs, sharing food, sitting next to someone).
Incubation period: on average about 5 years, but symptoms may appear much later — up to 20 years.
Treatment: leprosy is curable with multidrug therapy (MDT); after starting treatment, the patient usually ceases to be a source of infection.
