Ukrainian economy stagnating despite Western aid, Kherson governor says

VLADIVOSTOK, September 3. /TASS/. Even with the West providing ample resources to Vladimir Zelensky, the Ukrainian economy is still stagnating, Kherson Region Governor Vladimir Saldo said in an interview with TASS on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

"They give Zelensky everything, including weapons, technology and money. He and his team don’t lack money. Still, the economy is tanking and stagnating, although there are enough - even more than enough - financial resources," he noted.

A draft plan for the Ukrainian government’s activities was submitted to the country’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, in August. According to the document seen by TASS, the cabinet expects to receive $101 billion in financial aid from partners in 2026-2027. The program describes attracting international financial assistance to ensure public funding, including funds from the European Union, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other partners, as one of the government’s goals. Kiev expects to receive about $49 billion in financial support in 2026 and another $52 billion in 2027.

TASS calculations based on Ukrainian Finance Ministry data show that the country’s public debt increases by an average of $4-5 billion monthly, which means that the monthly debt amounts to about $140-150 per Ukrainian and the annual debt to $1,700-1,800. In addition, Ukraine will not be able to pay its troops in October unless it raises an additional $6.75 billion.

The Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) is taking place in Russia’s Far Eastern city of Vladivostok on September 1-4. The main theme of the 2026 event is "The Far East: Development for the Benefit of People." The forum is organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Russian government. TASS is the event’s general media partner.