The Ukrainian insulated wire and cable manufacturing sector continues to be one of the industrial segments with a significant trade surplus.
In January–September 2026, Ukraine exported these products worth $1.065 billion, while imports totaled $540.7 million. Thus, the trade surplus reached approximately $524.3 million.
Exports exceeded imports by nearly two to one, which stands in stark contrast to the overall structure of Ukraine’s foreign trade, where imports of goods have significantly exceeded exports in recent years.
However, the trend indicates a gradual narrowing of this surplus.
Exports of wires and cables over the nine-month period remained virtually unchanged compared to last year, while imports rose by 22.7%. According to estimates, imports in January–September 2025 totaled about $441 million, and the trade surplus was approximately $624 million.
Thus, over the year, the trade surplus in wires and cables decreased by approximately $100 million, or 16%.
The European Union remains Ukraine’s main export market. Germany, Poland, and Hungary alone purchased nearly $698 million worth of Ukrainian products, accounting for about two-thirds of total exports.
At the same time, the structure of imports is becoming more Asian-oriented. China increased its shipments by approximately 70%—to $157 million—and took first place among suppliers, ahead of Hungary and Poland.
As a result, a dual trend is emerging: Ukraine continues to be a major supplier of cable products to European industry, but at the same time is rapidly increasing its purchases of certain types of wires, cables, and electrical components from abroad.
By the end of 2025, exports of cable products totaled $1.41 billion, while imports amounted to $590.7 million, meaning the annual surplus exceeded $819 million.
The sustained significant trade surplus makes the production of wires and cables one of the most interesting examples of the Ukrainian manufacturing industry, which is deeply integrated into European production chains. That said, future trends will depend on the state of the European automotive industry, energy infrastructure development, and the ability of Ukrainian companies to maintain production amid the war.
Source: State Customs Service of Ukraine, foreign trade statistics for January–September 2026.
State Customs Service Statistics
In January–September 2026, Ukraine increased its imports of insulated wires and cables by 22.7%—to $540.7 million, with China significantly outpacing traditional European suppliers in this segment for the first time.
According to the State Customs Service, imports of Chinese cable products reached $157 million, compared to $92.6 million during the same period last year.
Thus, in just one year, shipments from China grew by approximately 69.5%, and its share of Ukraine’s wire and cable imports approached 29%.
Hungary remains the second-largest supplier. Over the nine-month period, Ukraine imported $124 million worth of wires and cables from Hungary, compared to $114 million a year earlier, representing an increase of approximately 8.8%.
Poland ranked third with shipments totaling $74 million, compared to $74.7 million in January–September 2025.
Thus, China, Hungary, and Poland together accounted for about $355 million, or nearly two-thirds of all Ukrainian imports of cable products.
The main change in the market structure was the strengthening of China’s position. Just a year ago, Hungary was the largest supplier, whereas now the value of Chinese imports exceeds that of Hungary’s by approximately $33 million.
The rapid growth in imports may be linked to increased demand for electrical products, the restoration of energy infrastructure, telecommunications projects, construction, industrial equipment, and automotive components.
At the same time, imports are growing significantly faster than exports. Over the first nine months, Ukrainian exports of wires and cables remained roughly at last year’s level—$1.065 billion—while imports rose by nearly a quarter.
By the end of 2025, Ukraine had imported $590.7 million worth of wires and cables, which was 24.3% higher than in 2024. In just the first nine months of 2026, the volume of imports had already approached the total for the entire previous year.
From January through September 2026, Ukraine exported insulated wires and cables, including fiber-optic products, worth $1.065 billion, maintaining shipment volumes at virtually the same level as the same period last year.
According to data from the State Customs Service, Germany remains the largest market for Ukrainian cable products. Over the nine-month period, shipments to this country totaled $348.7 million, down 2.8% compared to January–September 2025.
Germany’s share of Ukraine’s total exports of wires and cables decreased by approximately 1 percentage point—to 32.7%—but the country continues to account for nearly one-third of the industry’s total export revenue.
Poland ranks second, with Ukraine supplying $177.1 million worth of products, compared to $168.1 million a year earlier. Thus, exports to Poland increased by approximately 5.4%.
Hungary retained its third position with purchases totaling about $172 million, virtually unchanged from last year’s figure of $172.3 million.
The three largest European markets—Germany, Poland, and Hungary—accounted for a total of nearly $698 million in January–September, or about 65.5% of Ukraine’s total exports of wires and cables.
In September, exports of these products totaled $122.7 million. Compared to September of last year, this figure decreased by 6.6%, but compared to August 2026, it increased by 26%.
The cable industry remains one of the most prominent export-oriented segments of Ukraine’s machine-building and component manufacturing sectors. A significant portion of the products is supplied to companies in the European automotive, electrical engineering, and industrial sectors.
For the full year 2025, Ukraine increased its exports of insulated wires and cables by 10.6%—to $1.41 billion. If shipment rates in the fourth quarter remain close to last year’s levels, the annual export volume in 2026 may also remain at around $1.4 billion.
The value of Ukraine’s exports of insulated wires and cables (including fiber-optic cables) in January–June 2026 increased by 2% compared to the same period in 2025, reaching $741.2 million.
According to statistics from the State Customs Service (SCS), Germany remained the largest importer of Ukrainian products, as it was last year; shipments to Germany decreased by 3% to $245.3 million, and its share of total exports of these products fell by 1.7 percentage points to 33%.
As in the first half of last year, the top three importers also included Hungary—$124.8 million (last year: $118.1 million)—and Poland—$121.8 million ($111.3 million).
According to statistics, exports of these products in June fell by 3% compared to June 2025 but rose by 3.3% compared to May of this year, reaching $128.3 million.
At the same time, according to the State Customs Service, imports of wires and cables into Ukraine increased by 24.5% in the first half of the year, reaching $354.2 million.
The largest suppliers of wires and cables to Ukraine were China ($101.6 million), Hungary ($87.8 million), and Poland ($47.3 million), whereas last year imports from Hungary totaled $78.9 million, from China – $55.6 million, and from Poland – $41.1 million.
As previously reported, according to the State Customs Service, in 2025 Ukraine increased its exports of insulated wires and cables by 10.6% compared to 2024—to $1.41 billion—and imports by 24.3%—to $590.7 million.
Imports of insulated wires and cables, including fiber-optic cables, to Ukraine in January–April 2026 increased by 23.8% compared to the same period in 2025, reaching $220.8 million.
According to statistics from the State Customs Service, the largest suppliers of these products to Ukraine were China—$59 million, or 26.7% of total imports—Hungary—$57.7 million, or 27%—and Poland—$29.2 million, or 13.2%.
For comparison, in January–April 2025, imports from Hungary amounted to $51.7 million, from China—$36 million, and from Poland—$26 million.
As reported, according to the State Customs Service, in 2025 Ukraine increased imports of insulated wires and cables by 24.3% compared to 2024—to $590.7 million.
The volume of exports of insulated wires and cables (including fiber optic cables) from Ukraine in January 2026 increased by 8.5% in monetary terms compared to the same month in 2025, reaching $113.2 million.
According to statistics from the State Customs Service, Germany was the largest importer of Ukrainian products, as it was last year, with shipments increasing by 8% to $39 million, while its share of total exports of these products remained almost unchanged at 34.5%.
As in January 2025, the top three importers also included Poland ($18.2 million, 16%) and Hungary ($17.7 million, 15.7%).
At the same time, imports of these products to Ukraine increased by 13.8% to $46.3 million last month.
The largest suppliers of wires and cables to Ukraine in January were China ($13.8 million or almost 30%), Hungary ($12.4 million or 26.7%), and Poland ($5.6 million or 12.2%), while last year imports from China amounted to $10.8 million, Hungary – $10.6 million, and Poland – $5.9 million.
According to the State Customs Service, in 2025 Ukraine increased exports of insulated wires and cables by 10.6% compared to 2024, to $1.41 billion, and imports by 24.3%, to $590.7 million.
