EU, IMF understand need to help Ukraine finance budget gap, Zelenskiy says

Ukrainian ​President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday ‌that ​the European Union and the International Monetary Fund understood the importance of helping Kyiv finance its budget deficit and ‌defence spending.

Ukraine is seeking an additional $27 billion from partners this year for defence, saying the cost of the war has risen as Ukraine and Russia intensify ‌long-range drone and missile attacks on each other's military and economic assets, ‌while continuing to fight along a 1,200-km (745-mile) front line. Kyiv has asked to bring forward part of a loan from the European Union.

Zelenskiy said Ukraine needed to order drones in October ⁠and November ​or it will ⁠face challenges at the start of next year. "Everyone understands that Ukraine cannot be alone, ⁠and that more investment is needed in Ukrainian-made drones and missiles," he told reporters in ​a WhatsApp briefing, adding that he had received a positive response from ⁠European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Aside from defence, Ukraine also relies on foreign help ⁠to finance ​its social and humanitarian spending. It expects to need more than $52 billion in international financial aid next year. Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko told ⁠reporters that an IMF mission for a second review of Ukraine's financing programme was expected ⁠in November ⁠and that Kyiv needed to have a plan in place by then how to fund next year's budget.