Ukraine needs €52 billion for its national budget in 2026
The Ministry of Finance reports that Ukraine’s external financing needs remain significant. In 2026, the country will need approximately €52 billion to cover the state budget’s requirements.
This was reported by the Ministry of Finance following the 16th meeting of the Steering Committee of the Ukraine Donors’ Platform.
It is noted that the 16th meeting of the Steering Committee of the Ukraine Donors’ Platform took place on March 25. Representatives of the Ukrainian government, G7 countries, the European Union, and international financial organizations held the event in Kyiv.
Participants in the meeting included Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, the Platform’s co-chair from Ukraine, heads of ministries, Gert-Jan Koopman, Director-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations at the European Commission, Acting U.S. Coordinator for Assistance to Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia at the U.S. Department of State, Kirsten Selinger, and France’s Special Envoy for Aid and Reconstruction in Ukraine, Muriel Lacou-Labarthe.
The parties discussed meeting Ukraine’s budgetary needs in 2026, restoring critical infrastructure, and implementing structural reforms.
Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko thanked the partners for their unprecedented support: “In 2025, Ukraine received $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 their effective cooperation, which helped maintain the country’s financial stability.”
He also outlined Ukraine’s key budgetary needs for the current year.
“In 2026, the state budget remains under pressure from significant defense and reconstruction expenditures. We have already made progress in mobilizing the necessary resources. In the first months of 2026, $5.5 billion was raised, notably through the ERA mechanism and with the support of the IMF, the World Bank, and Japan,” the minister noted.
According to Marchenko, external financing needs remain substantial: in 2026, they amount to approximately $52 billion.
The Minister of Finance highlighted a new IMF program worth $8.1 billion, which aims to support macrofinancial stability and the implementation of structural reforms. The first tranche of approximately $1.5 billion has already been received.
Another important element of support is the European Union’s decision to provide Ukraine with 90 billion euros in loan assistance for 2026–2027. The Minister of Finance expressed hope that Ukraine will be able to receive the first tranche in the near future.
Despite the challenges, state budget execution remains stable, in particular due to improvements in tax administration.
According to the Ministry of Finance, tax revenues increased by about 20% in 2025, customs revenues by 21%, and in January–February 2026, budget revenues rose by 16.5% compared to the same period last year.
The Minister thanked his colleagues for their effective cooperation within the Platform. Today, it already has 25 participants, including countries that are permanent and temporary members or temporary observers, as well as seven international financial organizations.
The Verkhovna Rada approved the 2026 state budget: revenues, expenditures, and priorities.
As a reminder, a record 3,339 amendments were submitted to the draft State Budget of Ukraine for 2026. This is equivalent to three additional Ukrainian budgets.
The Verkhovna Rada was required to vote on the draft law “On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2026” in the second reading no later than December 2.
The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Budgetary Issues voted to send the State Budget of Ukraine for 2026 to the second reading.
