Abstract:
Securing access to critical raw materials has become a top priority for governments worldwide, particularly in light of geopolitical disruptions and increasing demand for materials essential to the green transition and advanced technologies. Ukraine holds substantial reserves of key raw materials that are vital for European industry, offering an opportunity for supply chain diversification and resilience. Recognizing Ukraine's strategic importance, the EU has already signed a raw material partnerships in 2021, while discussions on a potential agreement with the United States are ongoing. As the EU seeks to strengthen its strategic autonomy, reducing dependence on single-source supplier, especially from politically unstable regions, Ukraine presents itself as a valuable alternative. This brief identifies raw materials which Ukraine has reserves for and examines Ukraine's current role in raw material production and trade. It evaluates current global supply chains of these materials as well as EU and German sourcing patterns. Lastly, it offers a perspective on how Ukraine could become a strategic partner in EU's supply chain diversification efforts. A special focus will be on raw materials which are classified as strategic1 raw materials by the EU (EU Commission, 2023a) and which Ukraine has put an emphasis on in its activities on attracting investors (Ukrainian Geological Survey, 2024). This leads to the following list2 : Titanium Metal, Natural Graphite, Manganese, Lithium, Cobalt, Copper, Nickel.