PM Shmyhal outlines details of macro-financial assistance from partners

"This year, the budget deficit is $38 billion. An $18 billion macro-financial assistance package from the European Union has already been announced. We expect to receive $10 billion from the United States by September. We have an agreement with Norway on the disbursement of $7.5 billion over five years. This year, we expect $1.5 billion from Canada. There are also agreements on smaller amounts with other countries," Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal told Forbes Ukraine in an interview.

The Prime Minister noted that Ukraine had attracted more than $31 billion in external grants and loans – 38% and 62%, respectively – last year.

Now, taking into account all agreements, about $5 billion more is needed to cover the budget deficit.

"We plan to attract this sum from the IMF, negotiations have already started," Shmyhal said.

UAH 17 billion is on a special account of the State Fund for Elimination of the Consequences of Russian Aggression, the Prime Minister added. According to him, this is the money that was confiscated from the subsidiaries of Russian Prominvestbank and MR Bank and transferred by the Deposit Guarantee Fund.

During the year, the Fund will also receive a profit from the National Bank in the amount of UAH 35.5 billion.

"$1.5 billion will be disbursed by the USA, the package has already been approved by Congress. Separately, the United States has allocated $0.8 billion for the reconstruction of the energy infrastructure," Shmyhal said.

Moreover, the United States provided a gas-fired power plant worth about $18 million and several powerful generators.