German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil has demanded a complete ban on imports of Russian steel into the European Union, urging Brussels to eliminate all existing loopholes that allow Russian steel companies to indirectly enter the European market. This was reported by the German publication Spiegel.

Klingbeil made this statement on the eve of the “Steel Summit”, which will be held on November 6 at the Federal Chancellor’s office. The summit will be a key platform for discussing the future of the EU steel industry, which is facing the problem of excess capacity and pressure from cheaper foreign products, in particular Russian and Chinese.

The Vice Chancellor stressed that Russian steel slabs that enter the territory of the European Union and undergo further processing at local enterprises are still not subject to sanctions restrictions. This, he said, creates unfair competition for German steelmakers and contradicts the spirit of economic sanctions imposed against Russia due to its aggression against Ukraine.

“It is difficult to explain to German steelmakers why Europe still allows Russian steel to enter our market. This undermines both economic and moral trust in the European sanctions policy,” Klingbeil emphasized.

The politician also called on the EU to change its approach to protecting European production by introducing a policy of “European patriotism.” Its essence lies in prioritizing the use of steel produced at enterprises in Germany and other EU countries, especially in strategically important sectors — infrastructure, energy, and automotive.

Klingbeil emphasized that supporting domestic production will not only strengthen Europe’s economic independence, but also contribute to the transition to environmentally friendly technologies in metallurgy, which is consistent with the EU’s decarbonization policy. According to him, investments in European factories, modernization of production and green technologies should become a central part of the economic policy of the bloc.

Thus, the German initiative could become a new step in strengthening the sanctions policy against Russia, while stimulating the recovery and ecological transformation of the European steel industry.