The Canadian government has granted Airbus the authority to employ Russian-produced titanium in its production operations, despite being the first Western country to sanction the use of this strategic metal. In February, Ottawa banned supplies from VSMPO-AVISMA, the world’s largest producer of processed titanium, as part of its sanctions package against Moscow. The metal is vital to the aerospace industry due to its strength-to-weight ratio.
Airbus Canada stated to Reuters on Tuesday that it is aware of the Canadian government’s sanctions on VSMPO and has obtained the necessary authorization to ensure Airbus operations comply with the applicable sanctions, without providing a specific timeline.
The EU, while imposing extensive sanctions on Moscow following the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022, has refrained from blacklisting VSMPO-AVISMA. According to Reuters, the exemption granted by the Canadian government is intended to give Airbus flexibility in importing jets built in the EU that were constructed with Russian titanium.
In 2022, Airbus stated that it was “decoupling” from Russian titanium. Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defense and Space, stated in December of that year that “it will be a matter of months, not years.” Boeing, the company’s competitor, also claimed to have stopped purchasing supplies of the strategic metal from Russia in 2022. However, major suppliers for Boeing, including the Safran group and Rolls-Royce, have continued to purchase titanium from VSMPO-AVISMA. This, as reported by the Washington Post last month, highlights how the West remains reliant on Russia for the metal.
Only Canada and Ukraine have imposed sanctions on the Russian titanium giant, while the US, Ukraine’s largest sponsor, implemented export controls on the corporation in September. These restrictions prohibit American exports to the corporation but permit the importation of its titanium into the US.
