Zelensky and PM urge Rada to pass budget laws or risk losing $29.5 billion in financing
President Zelensky and Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyy called on the Verkhovna Rada to urgently adopt legislation needed to unlock $29.5 billion in international financing, with Koretskyy warning that Ukraine's state finances are close to critical. The Cabinet of Ministers has pushed the deadline for 42 required government decisions from November 1 to October 15. Zelensky linked the budget push to separate items including the dismissal of Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko and legislation against fraudulent call centers.
Key points
- PM Koretskyy said Ukraine's state finances are close to critical and called on MPs to adopt required draft laws as soon as possible.
- $29.5 billion in international financing is needed to balance the budget, fund social spending and meet the needs of the Defence Forces.
- Ukraine risks losing a significant share of that $29.5 billion if it misses established deadlines.
- The Cabinet of Ministers must complete 42 required decisions; the deadline was moved from November 1 to October 15.
- President Zelensky held a meeting with Koretskyy and Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko on September 14 on filling the budget.
- Zelensky called on the Verkhovna Rada to vote this week on all laws and government decisions needed to fill the budget.
- MP Vasylevska-Smahliuk said the Rada lacks the votes to pass the required decisions and none of the necessary draft laws are on the agenda for the nearest day.
Why it matters
Ukraine's ability to access $29.5 billion in international financing is tied to parliament adopting required legislation by an accelerated October 15 deadline. The funds are needed to balance the state budget, finance social spending and meet the needs of the Defence Forces. With Koretskyy describing state finances as close to critical, any delay risks widening the fiscal gap at a time when the cost of the war is rising and Russian attacks have caused roughly $10 billion in infrastructure damage in 2026.
What happened
On September 14, President Zelensky held a meeting with Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyy and Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko on filling the state budget. Koretskyy publicly warned that Ukraine's state finances are close to critical and urged MPs to adopt draft laws required to unlock $29.5 billion in international financing, failing which Ukraine could lose a significant portion of those funds. The Cabinet of Ministers must complete 42 required decisions; the deadline has been moved forward from November 1 to October 15 because of the difficulty of the situation. Zelensky called on the Verkhovna Rada to vote this week on the full package of budget-related laws and government decisions, and announced an upcoming verification of the work of the tax service and other agencies to check whether they are delivering full capacity for the state budget. Koretskyy made his statement after meeting with ambassadors of G7 countries and EU member states, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, ministers, MPs and heads of parliamentary committees to coordinate government-parliament action on international financial support. The required draft laws include measures tied to IMF and World Bank conditions and to European integration, such as a new Customs Code that the Rada adopted at first reading in August.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian sources frame the story as an urgent top-down push by the President and Prime Minister, centered on the $29.5 billion in international financing at risk and the accelerated October 15 deadline for 42 government decisions. Coverage presents the fiscal situation as critical and bundles the budget message with other political items, including Zelensky's submission to dismiss Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko (to be considered on September 15) and draft laws imposing strict criminal liability on fraudulent call centers. Zelensky has noted that the package contains both popular and unpopular measures.
Where reporting differs
Koretskyy's warning that Ukraine risks losing a significant share of $29.5 billion in international financing, and Zelensky's call for the Rada to adopt the required laws this week, conflict with MP Vasylevska-Smahliuk's claim that the Verkhovna Rada lacks the votes to pass the required decisions and that none of the necessary draft laws are on the agenda for the nearest day.
Background
On September 1, Koretskyy stated that Ukraine faces a $27 billion defence budget deficit and attributed it to the rising cost of the war. According to the Ministry of Economy, Russian attacks caused roughly $10 billion in damage to Ukrainian infrastructure in 2026. The Cabinet of Ministers originally planned to complete its 42 required decisions by November 1 but moved the deadline to October 15 because of the difficulty of the situation. In August, the Verkhovna Rada adopted at first reading a new Customs Code that is part of the European integration changes required by international partners.