Ukraine Faces $36 Billion Funding Shortfall for 2026 Budget

MOSCOW, August 22. /TASS/. Ukraine has failed to secure more than $36 billion in funding that Kiev expected from its Western partners, according to TASS calculations.

In 2026, Ukrainian authorities aim to secure $49 billion in international financial support, including aid from the EU, the IMF, and the World Bank. To date, Western partners have provided less than $13 billion, leaving Kiev with a shortfall of over $36 billion needed to balance its state budget.

Ukraine has been running a record budget deficit for several years. Kiev acknowledges that the country has completely exhausted its domestic resources, making it increasingly difficult to raise funds.

On August 18, former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba stated that Kiev had "reached the ceiling" of international support and would not receive more from the West than what is currently provided. He warned that Kiev must be extremely cautious when calculating what it can rely on from external sources. Nevertheless, the government aims to secure an even larger sum of $52 billion from its partners in 2027.