Ukraine Donor Platform: Government of Ukraine and international partners discussed covering state budget Needs – $52 billion for 2026

On March 25, the sixteenth meeting of the Steering Committee of the Ukraine Donor Platform took place. Representatives of the Government of Ukraine, G7 countries, the European Union, and international financial institutions held the event in Kyiv.

Participants included Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko, Co-Chair of the Platform from Ukraine; Minister of Finance Sergii Marchenko, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine Oleksii Kuleba, Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine Oleksii Sobolev, Minister of Social Policy, Family, and Unity of Ukraine Denys Uliutin, and other representatives of the Ukrainian Government. Also attending were Gert-Jan Koopman, Director-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations at the European Commission, Kirsten Selinger, Acting Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia at the U.S. Department of State, Muriel Lacoue-Labarthe, Special Envoy of France for Ukraine’s Assistance and Reconstruction; as well as representatives of G7 countries, the European Commission, and international financial institutions.

The parties discussed ensuring Ukraine’s budgetary needs for 2026, restoration of critical infrastructure and the implementation of structural reforms.

Sergii Marchenko thanked international partners for their unprecedented support and outlined Ukraine’s key budgetary needs amid the ongoing war.

He emphasized that despite the end of a difficult winter period, russian attacks on critical infrastructure continue. Ensuring the country’s financial stability requires sustained international support.

“In 2025, Ukraine received USD 52.4 billion in direct budget support. These funds made it possible to fully cover key social and humanitarian expenditures. I sincerely thank all partners for effective cooperation that helped maintain the country’s financial stability. In 2026, the State Budget remains under pressure due to significant defense and recovery expenditures. We have already made progress in mobilizing the necessary resources. In the first months of 2026, USD 5.5 billion has been attracted, including through the ERA mechanism and with the support of the IMF, the World Bank, and Japan,” said the Minister of Finance.

External financing needs remain substantial: in 2026, they amount to about USD 52 billion.

Sergii Marchenko also highlighted a new IMF program totaling USD 8.1 billion, aimed at supporting macro-financial stability and implementing structural reforms. The first tranche of about USD 1.5 billion has already been received.

Another important element of support is the European Union’s decision to provide EUR 90 billion in loan assistance to Ukraine for 2026–2027. The Minister of Finance expressed hope that Ukraine will receive the first tranche in the near future.

Despite the challenges, State Budget execution remains stable, particularly due to improved tax administration. In 2025, tax revenues increased by around 20%, customs revenues by 21%, and in January-February 2026, budget revenues grew by 16.5% compared to the same period last year.

Sergii Marchenko also emphasized the continued commitment to reforms. Recently, the report on the implementation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement for 2025 was published. By the end of 2025, the overall implementation rate reached 84%, which is 3% higher than in 2024.

The Minister of Finance thanked colleagues for productive cooperation within the Platform. To date, it includes 25 participants, including countries that are permanent and temporary members or observers, as well as seven international financial institutions.

Meeting participants stressed the importance of maintaining effective cooperation to meet the country’s urgent needs.