Imports of electric generators and rotary electric converters to Ukraine in January–October 2025 increased 3.6 times year-on-year and reached $1.397 billion, according to statistics from the State Customs Service.
The leading suppliers are Romania ($272.1 million or 19.5% of the total volume), the Czech Republic ($254.6 million or 18.2%), and Poland ($175.3 million or 12.6%). A year earlier, the main sources were China ($88.3 million), Turkey ($80.6 million), and the Czech Republic ($54.6 million).
In October 2025, imports of generator equipment amounted to $187.8 million, which is 89.3% higher than in October 2024 and 2% lower than in September 2024. Exports for ten months amounted to $3.6 million, with the main destinations being the Czech Republic, Latvia, and Bulgaria.
Context. Since the end of July 2024, there has been an exemption from import duties and VAT on electrical generator equipment and batteries. According to the State Customs Service, in 2024, imports of generators and converters increased by 3.7% compared to 2023, reaching $732.5 million.
Romanian law enforcement agencies have detained former senator Marius Ovidiu Isele on suspicion of attempting to bribe Defense Minister Ionut Mosatan with €1 million to facilitate an ammunition deal. According to investigators, the scheme involved purchasing Soviet-style shells in Kazakhstan, importing them, and “rebranding” them in Romania, then selling them through an intermediary in Bulgaria for delivery to Ukraine. This was reported by Radio Liberty, citing investigation materials and participants in the events.
The head of the state-owned company Romtehnica, Razvan Minku, said that he had been approached with a proposal to use his contacts in Kazakhstan to resell ammunition, but he considered the proposal suspicious and refused. The intermediary was politician Octavian Bercian, who contacted law enforcement agencies and made 17 hidden recordings of meetings with Isele. The court imposed a preventive measure on the former senator in the form of 30 days of pre-trial detention.
There are also reports about Bulgarian businessman Roman Ivanov Angelov, the sole owner of Sofia Arm Tech, which received a license for international arms trade in 2024. His whereabouts are unknown, and he has not responded to journalists’ inquiries. The defense minister stated on social media that he had refused any meetings and that the attempt to “buy his influence” had been rejected.
The publication notes that the initiators hoped to attract funds from the European Rearm Europe program to support the defense industry of EU countries in the future, but the scheme remained at the trial stage and was not implemented.
Rearm Europe was launched by the European Commission in March 2025 to stimulate arms production in EU countries. Romtehnica is the authorized intermediary of the Romanian Ministry of Defense for international procurement and sales of arms and military equipment.
The Romanian Ministry of Defense signed a contract with the Dutch government to purchase 18 F-16 Fighting Falcon multi-role fighter jets and related equipment.
According to the ministry, the agreement was signed on Monday, November 3. The purchased aircraft will be used exclusively for training at the European F-16 Training Center in Fetești, which has become a regional training center for pilots from NATO member countries and Alliance partners.
“The purchase is being made for a symbolic price of one euro. This is a smart investment in training, cooperation, and the future,” the Romanian Ministry of Defense said.
According to the Romanian side, the transfer of the aircraft is intended to strengthen the training capabilities of allied countries’ pilots and develop defense cooperation in the region.
The mining and metallurgical group Metinvest intends to acquire a pipe plant in Romania (Tubular Products Iasi S.A., AMTP Iasi) from ArcelorMittal, which is controlled by ArcelorMittal S.A. (Luxembourg). According to a preliminary notification from the European Commission on the concentration, on October 21 of this year, the EC’s Directorate-General for Competition received a notification of the proposed concentration in accordance with the Council Regulation (EU).
It is specified that the concentration will be carried out through Metinvest’s acquisition of shares in AMTP Iasi.
After preliminary consideration, the Commission considers that the transaction may fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this matter remains with the Commission.
The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed concentration to the Commission.
AMTP Iasi, registered in Romania, is active in the production and supply of small welded carbon steel pipes.
Metinvest is a vertically integrated group of mining and metallurgical companies. Its enterprises are located in Ukraine, in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions, as well as in the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The main shareholders of the holding company are SCM Group (71.24%) and Smart Holding (23.76%). Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of the Metinvest Group.
Romania and its allies will not remain passive witnesses to the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine and will do everything possible to achieve a just and lasting peace, said Alexandru Victor Micula, Romania’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Ukraine, during a reception in Kyiv on the occasion of Romanian Army Day.
“We are in Ukraine and we think of those who are fighting right now for independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, who stand as a shield in defense of democratic societies against bloodthirsty Moscow autocrats. We are grateful to them for their daily sacrifice,” the diplomat emphasized.
According to him, Romania and its partners “have a duty to these heroes and their families to do everything possible to establish a just peace for Ukraine — a peace that cannot be a reward for the aggressor and must ensure justice for the victims of this illegal and unjustified aggression.”
Micu expressed his deep gratitude to Ukrainian servicemen and their families, especially those of Romanian origin, who live in daily anxiety for their loved ones.
“Many families already know that their heroes will not return home. Among them are the families of Ukrainians and Romanians who gave their lives defending Ukraine. But even those who are waiting for news about the missing do not lose hope. This is a true manifestation of courage and strength of spirit,” the ambassador said.
During the event, Romania’s naval and air attaché to Ukraine, Colonel Cristi Ladaniuc, emphasized that Romanian Army Day is not only a tribute to national heroes, but also a symbol of Romania’s unwavering commitment to peace and security in the region.
“From the first day of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Ukraine, Romania has played an important role in supporting Kyiv in all areas of assistance,” Colonel Ladaniuc said.
He stressed that Romania is actively involved in training Ukrainian military personnel under the EUMAM and INTERFLEX programs and that Bucharest “will continue to coordinate with Ukrainian partners to identify new training opportunities in line with needs.”
The attaché also drew attention to the creation of the European F-16 Training Center in Romania, where Ukrainian pilots are already participating in flight programs. “This project demonstrates what we can achieve together — through partnership, strategic decisions, and joint efforts toward our common goals,” he emphasized.
Romania, he said, will also continue to participate in the Maritime Capabilities Coalition, providing maritime security training (MRTH) on its territory and facilitating the training of Ukrainian marines within existing programs.
At the same time, he stressed that Romania, in accordance with a political decision at the highest level, is ready to provide logistical support to future peacekeeping forces, but will not consider the possibility of deploying its military on Ukrainian territory (“no boots on the ground”).
Ukraine and Romania established diplomatic relations on February 1, 1992.
The Ukrainian Embassy in Romania opened in Bucharest in 1992, and the Romanian Embassy in Ukraine opened in Kyiv in 1993.
Both countries are members of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) and actively cooperate in the fields of defense, energy, border management, and support for Ukraine in the context of Russian aggression.
TK-Home Textiles, part of the Textile-Contact Group (TK Group), has begun its first deliveries of products to Romania, according to the group’s owner, Alexander Sokolovsky.
“Romania has been added to the list of countries with which we currently have stable contracts for the export of finished products (namely Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Georgia, and France), and today we sent the first shipment of our own products there,” he wrote on Facebook on Monday.
Sokolovsky specified that so far these are only various sets of bed linen made of satin, calico, and flannel, made from 100% cotton produced by the TK-Chernigov factory.
“However, we plan to significantly expand the range for this customer in the future. Each new country is further confirmation that Ukrainian textiles have a worthy place in the European market,” he added.
The owner of the group also announced that TK-Domashniy Tekstil had won the Best Exporter of the Year competition for the second year in a row based on its performance in 2024 in the field of textile production, clothing, leather, leather goods, and other materials.
“I would like to thank the team, which in such difficult times, despite all the challenges, is not just holding on, but is looking for any opportunities to grow sales markets and increase the share of exports in our order portfolio,” Sokolovsky wrote.
TK-Domashniy Tekstil is a leader in the production of fabrics, home textiles, and children’s products in Ukraine. Its asset portfolio includes one of the few finishing factories in Ukraine that produces cotton fabrics in
Chernihiv, TK-DT Chernihiv. Its assets also include garment factories in Kyiv, Ternopil, Chernihiv, and Odesa; a shoe factory in Chyhyryn; a knitting factory; and a synthetic winterizer factory in Chernihiv.
TK Group was founded in 1995. It currently represents a holding company that combines the entire range of services in the textile industry, from raw materials and threads to ready-made solutions for B2B, B2G, and B2C customers.
The group consists of 13 factories and employs about 1,500 people.
