New IMF program not to depend on provision of reparations loan – Svyrydenko
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) may introduce a new program that is not directly dependent on the provision of a reparations loan, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced.
"We expect an IMF mission as early as November. We're hoping for a reparations loan in April. A new program might be available in January, and it won't be directly dependent on the reparations loan," Svyrydenko noted at a meeting with journalists on Monday, November 3.
Svyrydenko recalled that at its October 24 meeting, the European Council instructed the European Commission to develop proposals for financing Ukraine for 2026-2027, related to the use of frozen Russian assets. Therefore, she is confident that the funds will be provided.
In addition, the Prime Minister added that the reparation loan funds will be used for defense and budgetary expenditures, but first a joint plan must be developed with the involvement of G7 countries.
As Politico reported, European officials expressed concerns that the IMF might cancel the aid if Belgium does not support a EUR 140 billion reparations loan to Ukraine from frozen Russian assets, which are primarily held in Belgium.