The US Department of Commerce announced the suspension of 232 customs tariffs on Ukrainian steel for a period of one year. This is stated in a statement on the department's website..

" Some of Ukraine's largest steel mills were among those hardest hit by Putin's barbarism, and the Mariupol steel plant has become a symbol of Ukraine's determination to resist Russian aggression,"

The ministry also noted that some steel plants in Ukraine continued to pay wages, help with food and even provide shelter to their workers during hostilities.. Despite the fighting, some Ukrainian factories even resumed production.

" Today's announcement is a signal to the Ukrainian people that we are committed to helping them thrive in the face of Putin's aggression and that their work will create a stronger Ukraine today and in the future,"

Recall, Metinvest CEO Yuriy Ryzhenkov said that Ukraine lost up to 40% of its metallurgical capacities due to the war. Mariupol accounted for a third of all steel production in Ukraine.