Key facts
- The IMF will help Ukraine find part of the funding it needs for 2027, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
- Ukraine requires about $52.6 billion in international financial aid for next year.
- Of the $52.6 billion needed, $32.6 billion is not yet confirmed.
- Ukraine's finance minister asked the IMF to help coordinate donor pledges for 2027.
- The IMF's second program review for Ukraine has been moved to December and merged with the third.
- The IMF put Ukraine's 2027 financing gap at $43.4 billion in its baseline at the first review.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is set to assist Ukraine in securing a portion of the funds required for its financial and economic stability in 2027, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Following a meeting with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, Zelenskiy stated that the fund would help identify necessary financing for the upcoming year.
Ukraine faces a significant challenge in securing funds for 2027, with officials estimating a need of approximately $52.6 billion in international financial aid. Of this amount, $32.6 billion remains unconfirmed. President Zelenskiy emphasized the critical importance of macrofinancial assistance amidst the ongoing war with Russia, highlighting efforts to disrupt businesses and state functions.
During an informal meeting of EU economy and finance ministers in Dublin on September 19, Ukraine's Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko requested the IMF's help in coordinating donor pledges for 2027. He asked the Fund to play an active role in distributing commitments among G7 countries, the European Union, and other partners. The Ukrainian government approved a draft budget for 2027 projecting revenues of 5.648 trillion hryvnia against spending of 7.272 trillion, resulting in a deficit of about 15 percent of GDP. Security and defense spending are allocated 4.885 trillion hryvnia, or 43.8 percent of projected GDP.
The IMF's own assessment at the first review of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program placed Ukraine's 2027 financing gap at $43.4 billion. This figure assumed approximately $40.7 billion from official creditors and donors, $1.8 billion from the IMF, and $0.9 billion from debt service relief. The second review of the EFF program has been postponed to December and merged with the third, reportedly due to parliament's failure to pass tax legislation linked to international financing.