Inflation in Ukraine has slowed: fruit prices rose the most in May
In May 2026, the rate of consumer price growth in Ukraine continued to slow. Monthly inflation stood at 0.9%, while the annual rate fell to 8.2%.
Fruit prices rose the most in May—by 11.1%. Passenger bus fares also increased, rising by 2.7%.
At the same time, prices for a number of goods fell. The most notable decline was in egg prices—by 15.3%. This was the largest price drop among staple food items.
Core inflation, which excludes seasonal and administrative factors, stood at 0.7% on a monthly basis and 7.9% on an annual basis in May.
The National Bank forecasts that inflation will remain relatively stable in the coming months, but may rise to about 9.4% in the second half of the year.
The regulator cites rising production costs, higher energy prices, and rising fuel costs as the main factors affecting prices.
At the same time, the NBU expects inflation to gradually slow down starting in 2027. According to the regulator’s forecast, the rate could drop to 6.5% by the end of 2027 and approach the target level of 5% in 2028.
Source: State Statistics Service of Ukraine.
As a reminder, in March, inflation in Ukraine turned out to be higher than the National Bank’s forecast, and the main reason was a sharp rise in fuel and energy prices on global markets. This led to an increase in business costs, which was reflected in the prices of transportation, services, and some products.
In March 2026, annual inflation in Poland stood at 3%. One of the key reasons for the rise in prices was the increase in energy costs amid the situation in the Middle East.
