The Impact of U.S. Trade Policy on the Development of Mechanical Engineering in Ukraine
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58423/2786-6742/2026-12-88-101Keywords:
trade policy, mechanical engineering, global value chains, export, protectionism, competitivenessAbstract
The article examines the impact of U.S. trade policy on the development of Ukraine’s mechanical engineering industry amid the transformation of global value chains, intensifying geoeconomic competition, and the rise of protectionist trends. It substantiates that contemporary U.S. trade policy serves as a tool for restructuring global production networks through supplier diversification, promotion of production localization, and reduction of dependence on individual countries, primarily China. These processes are accompanied by production regionalization, business relocation, and the formation of new centers of industrial cooperation, creating prerequisites for Ukraine’s integration into strategically important segments of global production networks, particularly in mechanical engineering and the defense industry.
The study analyzes the dynamics of Ukraine’s mechanical engineering sector and the specifics of trade and economic relations with the United States, identifying the structure of bilateral trade and its asymmetric nature, manifested in the predominance of high-tech imports from the U.S. and the limited share of Ukrainian exports in the U.S. market. Based on econometric analysis, the impact of key factors on the volume of Ukraine’s mechanical engineering exports to the United States is assessed, including production volumes, exchange rates, tariff burdens, and other macroeconomic indicators. A weak correlation between increases in U.S. tariff rates and the volume of Ukrainian mechanical engineering exports is revealed, which is explained by their relatively small share in the U.S. market.
A set of adaptive measures aimed at enhancing the sector’s competitiveness is proposed, including the development of defense-industrial cooperation, attraction of investment, technology transfer, production localization, and integration into global production networks. It is proven that the implementation of these measures will strengthen the position of Ukrainian mechanical engineering in international markets, increase its technological level, and ensure long-term economic resilience under the transformation of the global trading system.
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