Kyiv unlocks $3.2 billion after reform push

Prefer on Google by Luca Léry Moffat The Ukrainian and the EU flags are seen side by side prior the signing ceremonies in the Margin of the EU-Ukraine Association Council in the Berlaymont, the EU Commission headquarter on April 9, 2025 in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo by Thierry Monasse/Getty Images) WASHINGTON — Ukraine is set to receive 2.7 billion euros ($3.2 billion) from the European Union, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said, after the country's parliament made a small dent in a long list of delayed reforms last week. "Ukraine is preparing to receive a package of 2.7 billion euros under the Ukraine Facility program," Svyrydenko said on April 16 in a post on Telegram. "This was made possible thanks to the joint efforts of the Government and the Verkhovna Rada," she added. Ukraine relies heavily on cash from abroad to fund its military and keep the state afloat. A large share of the budgetary support that Kyiv receives is tied to wide-ranging reforms aimed at aligning Ukraine with European norms and standards. Despite initially making good progress on a lengthy list of reforms required by the EU since 2024, Kyiv slowed down last year and has now missed deadlines on almost 20 required changes. In response, the European Union has withheld billions of euros tied to the reforms. Lawmakers passed three stalled measures last week, unlocking this latest tranche — but still limited progress relative to backlog. Kyiv has also missed deadlines on reforms tied to an $8.1 billion lending agreement with the International Monetary Fund. Each reform has its own reasons for delay, but a communications crisis between the government and parliament, as well as the challenging nature of completing some reforms during wartime, are two key factors behind the slowdown. In the leadup to last week's plenary session, the EU dialled up the pressure on Kyiv to make progress. Svyrydenko announced the fresh funds after a meeting with the European Union's Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington D.C. “The reforms are there because they are part of the transformation process or the economy and society,” Marta Kos, Commissioner for Enlargement, said on April 16 on a panel alongside Ukraine's finance minister, Serhii Marchneko. But Kos did concede the tough nature of the reforms. “It is really demanding and it takes time.”