Ukraine's Trade Representative wants to start a substantive negotiation process with the US on steel

Trade Representative of Ukraine - Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade Natalia Mikolskaya told Interfax-Ukraine that she wants to start a substantive negotiation process with the United States of America on the issue of excluding the state from the list of countries subject to duties on steel and aluminum.

“Our main task is to increase the level of dialogue with the American government and begin a substantive negotiation process with it,” she said.

The Ukrainian government has appointed Mikolskaya as the main negotiator on this issue.

“We have already presented our position to the US government. We believe that Ukraine and the United States are strategic partners, and Ukrainian metallurgical products do not pose a threat to the national security of the United States, ”Mikolskaya said.

The sales representative also pointed out that the US is a traditional market for Ukrainian metallurgy.

“Contracts by our metallurgists have been working there for a long time, and it will not be so easy to compensate them. In addition, additional US duties will lead to the fact that some of the metal products from other countries that will be subject to sanctions will be redirected to their domestic markets and the markets of third countries. Consequently, competition for Ukrainian producers in the markets of third countries will increase, ”Mikolskaya commented.