Trump’s 25% Tariff on Steel and Aluminum Imports to Hit Ukraine’s Economy

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports without exceptions, effective March 12, 2025, the White House announced on February 10.

Steel production is a crucial sector of Ukraine’s economy, second only to agriculture in generating foreign currency.

“We have made every effort to keep Ukrainian steel out of the 25% tariffs in the US. The US decision to impose tariffs on our steel on March 12 will naturally affect the steel industry, which has suffered from the Russian war,” said First Deputy Prime Minister and Economic Development Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.

“However, we are determined to actively work with partners to find the optimal solution until March 12,” she added.

The tariffs, which also apply to finished metal products, are intended to counter attempts by countries like Russia and China to circumvent existing duties—an effort that, according to administration officials, these countries are actively pursuing.

Trump described these measures as a way to support domestic production and create more jobs in the US, warning that metal tariffs “may go higher.”

“It’s going to mean a lot of businesses are going to be opening in the United States,” Trump said while signing the order in the Oval Office.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen responded to Trump’s executive order, stating, “Unjustified tariffs on the EU will not go unanswered.”

“We will react to protect the interests of European businesses, workers and consumers from unjustified measures,” she added.

The European Commission argued that the restrictions would disrupt deeply integrated supply chains between the EU and US, increasing costs and damaging trade.

Previously, US President Donald Trump claimed that Ukraine had agreed to grant Washington access to rare earth minerals worth $500 billion during an interview with Fox News on February 10.