Critical raw materials in the energy transition: Assessing Ukraine’s potential for EU supply chains

by Green Deal Ukraina

Critical raw materials (CRMs) sit at the core of the EU’s clean transition: from batteries and wind turbines to grids and solar panels. With supply chains concentrated and exposed to geopolitical risk, the EU is increasingly looking to partnerships with like-minded countries.

In this context, Ukraine has geological potential in some CRMs relevant to the EU’s clean transition, but its current role in EU supply chains remains marginal. Ukraine exported only two CRMs to the EU as primary raw materials – titanium and natural graphite – together accounting for less than 0.2% of Ukraine’s exports to the EU in 2024.

Yet the analysis shows potential in graphite, titanium and possibly lithium, manganese and beryllium. Key obstacles include war‑related disruptions, outdated geological data and a challenging investment climate. New EU frameworks — including the Critical Raw Materials Act, the Ukraine Facility and de‑risking tools — are creating opportunities for bankable projects, as demonstrated by the Balakhivka graphite deposit’s designation as a CRMA Strategic Project.

The report “Critical raw materials in the energy transition: assessing Ukraine's potential for EU supply chain” was prepared under Green Deal Ukraїna (GDU), a German-Polish-Ukrainian project, implemented as part of the European Programme at Forum Energii, with Forum Energii as a project partner.