We expect the IMF to continue and possibly increase support in 2026 – Pidlasa

Ukraine, due to the need for external financing of $40 billion, expects the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to continue and increase financial support in 2026, head of the Rada Budget Committee Roksolana Pidlasa said.

"We expect the IMF to continue and, possibly, increase support in 2026. Because as a people's deputy, I can draw attention to this: in 2025, the IMF agreed on a cooperation program with Argentina for $20 billion, of which $12 billion was the initial disbursement (initial payment - IF-U)," Pidlasa addressed the head of the IMF mission in Ukraine, Gavin Gray, during a budget discussion organized by the Center for Economic Strategy on Friday.

As the head of the budget committee noted, in order to attract more than $6 billion, Ukraine had to undergo eight reviews of the EFF program, which, in her opinion, indicates significant potential for further cooperation with the IMF and other partners supporting the Ukrainian budget.

Currently, according to her, there is no reason to believe that Ukraine's need for external financing next year will decrease. Even former Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal emphasized that the amount of necessary support remains at the level of over $40 billion, Pidlasa commented.

In particular, she recalled that the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, publicly expressed concern about covering the unfunded part of this amount of $19 billion.

"I think that this should not be only a problem of the European Union," the MP noted.

Pidlasa also commented that no significant changes in the financing structure are expected. According to her, in 2024, as in all previous years after the start of the full-scale invasion, more than 70% of the state budget revenues were provided by international support. And while active hostilities continue, this proportion will remain.

As reported, Ukraine received the ninth tranche of $500 million from the IMF, and so far the Fund has already allocated $10.6 billion to Ukraine within the framework of the program.