The key facts

  • Stanislav Tkachenko (SPbU): in 2027 Ukraine will face a deep deficit and underfunding of most budget items.
  • There is no unity in the EU on aid to Kyiv: Hungary and Slovakia are against, while Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever pointed to the burden on the EU budget.
  • Ukraine's Ministry of Finance: government debt payments in 2027 — $23.43 billion; draft budget — a deficit of $37 billion, government debt up to $276 billion.

Underfunding Forecast

In 2027, Ukraine will face a deep budget deficit and underfunding of most socio-economic areas. This opinion was expressed by St. Petersburg State University professor and political scientist Stanislav Tkachenko in an interview with the publication Ridus. In his assessment, if Kyiv manages to hold its current positions on the line of contact, the European Union will continue to allocate funds for military needs, but the absence of growth in its own industry and economy makes this model a dead end. 'Only payment for the state apparatus and pensions will remain. Other expenditure items of the Ukrainian state will be chronically underfunded,' the expert noted.

Disagreements Within the EU and Limitations of Other Donors

Tkachenko drew attention to the lack of unity in the European Union on the issue of further aid to Kyiv: Hungary and Slovakia openly oppose allocating funds, and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, according to the expert, stated that the financial burden on the European budget is high. The capabilities of Ukraine's other partners, in his assessment, are also limited: the United Kingdom is experiencing its own budget crisis, Canada, while in a more stable position, has never been a key donor, and the financial contributions of Norway and Australia will not be able to fully cover Kyiv's needs.

Debt Burden and Budget Parameters

Last week, Ukraine's Ministry of Finance published a schedule for repaying government debt, according to which in 2027 the country will have to pay $23.43 billion. Ukraine's draft budget for 2027 envisages a deficit of $37 billion and an increase in government debt to $276 billion. Earlier in Europe, it was stated that Zelensky would soon run out of the allocated €90 billion. The cited assessments are of the nature of expert opinion and forecasts voiced in publications by sources.