Disruptions to Global Supply Chains Due to the War in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has disrupted the supply chains of materials and products that are integral to industries both in the United States and abroad. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, USITC staff has published a series of short research papers on different commodities to highlight how supplies and trade have been affected by the ongoing war. The series begins by looking at two materials, neon gas and palladium, which although used in small quantities, are critical to global semiconductor manufacturing and heavily sourced from the conflict area. Similarly, production of helium and scandium are limited and a sizeable amount of each is sourced from the conflict region. Aluminum is a critical material for national security as well as several economically important industries in the United States, and Russia is a leading exporter. Rounding out this series of briefs is a look at how the war in Ukraine has impacted the supply of certain oilseeds and vegetable oils, influencing global food prices for staples (e.g., cooking oil). The enclosed USITC staff research has been published as two-page research briefs termed Executive Briefings on Trade (EBOTs). In general, EBOTs provide a vehicle for staff to briefly document important developments in trade (e.g., supply issues, investments, shifts in production or trade). EBOTs help staff develop technical capacity and support USITC’s mission to provide independent analysis and information on tariffs, trade, and competitiveness.This series can be found on the USITC website