Ukrainian MP warns of funding shortfall as Western aid arrives slowly

MOSCOW, August 21. /TASS/. While Ukraine is experiencing serious financial problems, its Western partners have so far provided only a quarter of what Kiev was counting on, said Yaroslav Zheleznyak, a member of Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada.

In his words, parliamentary factions met with Prime Minister Sergey Koretsky on Thursday.

"In short, we have problems with money. Out of billions of dollars [pledged by partners], only one quarter has arrived," he wrote on Telegram.

The lawmaker went on to say that in order to obtain the rest of the financial aid, the government needs to approve and submit 17 bills to Verkhovna Rada, which is to adopt 24 bills in total.

As Kiev’s Western partners launch financing programs, they make the implementation of the so-called structural beacons by it, mostly concerning reforms and the West making amendments to Ukrainian laws, a prerequisite for additional tranches. At that, Ukraine has reported a record budget deficit for several years already.

Kiev admits that the country has completely exhausted its own resources, and it is getting harder and harder for it to secure the required funds every time. On August 18, former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba admitted that Kiev had "hit the ceiling" of international support and will not be able to receive more than it gets now. On August 20, Vladimir Zelensky admitted that the lack of funding for military needs was his biggest challenge.