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 2025.
We present the report “Critical raw materials in the energy transition: assessing Ukraine's potential for EU supply chain” prepared under Green Deal Ukraїna (GDU), a German-Polish-Ukrainian project, which was implemented as part of the European Programme at Forum Energii, with Forum Energii as a project partner.
The paper argues that Ukraine can make a targeted (not transformative) contribution to EU CRM diversification – especially in natural graphite and titanium, and potentially lithium, manganese and beryllium.
Key constraints are clear:
- war-related disruption (logistics, energy supply, access to deposits),
- outdated/incomplete geological data,
- weak investor environment (high capital costs, dormant licences, low predictability).
A new policy window is opening via the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), the Ukraine Facility[MN1] (EU funding programme for Ukraine’s reconstruction and reforms), and emerging de-risking instruments (e.g., the European Flagship Fund). The Balakhivka Graphite Deposit, approved as a CRMA Strategic Project, shows that high-quality Ukrainian assets can qualify for EU-level support like finance facilitation and EU offtake matchmaking.
The paper concludes with eight recommendations translating key enabling conditions into actions for bankable, value-added, EU-aligned CRM projects.
