The United States will temporarily suspend the 25% duty on Ukrainian steel imposed by President Trump under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 for 12 months, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo said.
“For steel mills to continue to be an economic lifeline for the people of Ukraine, they must be able to export their steel. Today’s announcement is a signal to the Ukrainian people that we are committed to helping them stand up in the face of Putin’s aggression,” the minister said on the ministry’s website. .
The report states that each of the 13 Ukrainians is employed in the steel industry of Ukraine, and their work is well paid.
“We are talking about stopping the 25% tariffs imposed in 2018 by the Trump administration,” Yulia Sviridenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister, commented on the decision of the US Department of Commerce.
According to her, the Ministry of Economy has been working on this project for several years.
“The abolition of these duties will be a turning point in trade relations between Ukraine and the United States,” she stressed.
According to the State Statistics Service, in 2021, the export of ferrous metals from Ukraine to the United States increased by 50.5% compared to the previous year – up to $70.76 million, and ferrous metal products – 11 times, up to $16.85 million. In total, these two articles accounted for 55.4% of all exports from Ukraine.
The US Department of Commerce also recalled that some of Ukraine’s largest steel mills have suffered the most from Putin’s barbarism, and Azovstal in Mariupol has become a symbol of Ukraine’s determination to resist Russian aggression. The agency added that many Ukrainian steel mills continued to pay workers, feed and shelter their employees during the fighting, and some resumed production despite nearby fighting.
“Creating export opportunities for these factories is essential to their ability to continue hiring and supporting one of Ukraine’s most important industries,” the statement said.
It also states that following the sanctions, U.S. exports to Russia of categories of goods subject to new U.S. export licensing requirements decreased by 97% in value terms compared to the same period in 2021 (February 24-April 29), and total exports fell by about 79%.
