Kyiv, Feb. 28 -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a new four-year loan programme for Ukraine worth $8.1 billion, which is currently grappling with a massive budget deficit, and a virtually crippled economy amid its ongoing war with Russia.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Fund said that $1.5bn would be disbursed immediately, though noted that the sum was acutely short of covering Kyiv's actual requirements.
According to IMF estimates, Ukraine faces a budget deficit of $52bn in 2026 alone, rising to a cumulative $136.5bn over the next four years. The Fund added that the shortfall is expected to be covered through pledged donor support and relief stemming from debt operations, pointing to the EU, and the G7 as key pote...