Sergii Marchenko outlined Ukraine’s financial needs for 2026 at the Ministerial Roundtable in Washington

On Friday, April 25, the Seventh Ministerial Roundtable Discussion for Support to Ukraine took place in Washington, D.C. The event was co-chaired by the Government of Ukraine, the World Bank Group, and the International Monetary Fund.

The meeting was opened by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, President of the World Bank Group Ajay Banga, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, and Minister of Finance of Ukraine Sergii Marchenko.

Participants discussed Ukraine’s State Budget financing needs for 2025–2026.

International partners praised the effectiveness of Ukraine’s financial policy, particularly the preservation of macro-financial stability and progress in fiscal reforms.

In his remarks, Sergii Marchenko expressed gratitude to partners for their budget support, which has amounted to over USD 132 billion since February 2022. In 2025 alone, Ukraine has already received USD 16.8 billion in international financial assistance.

At the same time, the Minister emphasized that financial challenges persist and must be addressed proactively – regardless of whether active hostilities end or continue:

“As long as the full-scale war continues, international cooperation and coordination remain critically important. Ukraine needs financial support to ensure budget liquidity. However, even after the potential end of active hostilities, cooperation with partners will be key to economic recovery, reconstruction, and financial stability. Budget expenditures will remain high even after the war ends.”

According to Sergii Marchenko, the security and defense sector will remain a top priority for budget spending under any scenario, as Ukraine must continue to strengthen its military capabilities. Significant resources will also be allocated for social support, including assistance to veterans and internally displaced persons.

The Minister of Finance emphasized the importance of working jointly with international partners now to develop a plan for balancing the 2026 budget under various potential scenarios.

One of the practical steps should be the use of frozen russian assets. Since russia is responsible for the large-scale destruction and damage inflicted on Ukraine, using these funds is a morally justified course of action.