Ukraine may be $10 bln - $15 bln short of external assistance in 2025 - MP

MOSCOW. March 27 (Interfax) - A shortage of financial assistance from international partners may reach $10 billion to $15 billion next year, while the hidden additional budget deficit stands at 300 billion - 400 billion hryvni this year, which does not include the additional mobilization, deputy head of the Ukrainian Parliament Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy Yaroslav Zheleznyak from the Golos faction said.

"Speaking of next year's challenges, most likely the gap between the required and available international financing will reach $10 billion to $15 billion we will be short of," Ukrainian media quoted Zheleznyak as saying at the Public Finance Reform - the Path to Ukraine Restoration congress in Kiev.

Zheleznyak underlined the importance of supporting business amid the prospective shortage of macro-financial assistance to the budget.

"We already lack 300 billion to 400 billion [hryvni] without the additional mobilization. This is yet another fact," Zheleznyak said.

As reported, the Ukrainian parliament approved the 2024 budget with a deficit of 1.57 trillion hryvni, or 20.6% of the forecasted GDP. This year's budget revenue is estimated at 1.77 trillion hryvni (without possible grants), while expenses are planned to reach 3.36 trillion hryvni with the average annual exchange rate of 40.7 hryvni to the dollar.

According to the IMF's updated EFF, external financing amounted to $42.5 billion in 2023, is projected at $38.1 billion for this year, and will drop to $22.9 billion next year.