Ukraine Completes 17 of 42 Resolutions Needed to Unlock $29.5B in Aid

Ukraine’s government has now adopted 17 out of 42 resolutions it needs to unlock international financing, with less than three weeks left before its self-imposed deadline.The Cabinet of Ministers approved four more decisions at its meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 30, Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said in a statement. The government has entered what he described as a regime of maximum austerity and postponed non-priority spending.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.The remaining 25 resolutions must be completed by Oct. 15.“Over the next two weeks, we need to accelerate the work as much as possible and ensure that every decision is fully implemented,” Koretskyi said, adding that “any delay comes at a very high cost.”The decisions are required to secure €27 billion ($29.5 billion) in planned international financing by the end of the year, which depends exclusively on Ukraine meeting its reform commitments to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the EU.The government originally planned to finish the work by Nov. 1 but moved the deadline forward as pressure on public finances grew.Parliament’s share of the workThe commitments fall into two groups: government measures and legislative changes that require votes in Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada.Koretskyi thanked lawmakers who supported several of the necessary bills in their first reading last week, calling the process “a joint effort and our shared responsibility.” Other Topics of Interest Ukraine Calls Urgent OSCE Meeting Over Oleshky Crisis Kyiv says Russia is blocking aid and evacuation while civilians, including children, remain trapped in the occupied city. The cabinet has asked parliament to hold an additional plenary session on Oct. 12, a day before lawmakers are scheduled to return from recess. According to UA.News, among the funds at stake is an EU tranche of about €3.7 billion ($4 billion).President Volodymyr Zelensky has also pressed lawmakers to act on Monday, Sept. 28, saying that if the government meets its commitments by Oct. 15, parliament must follow an equally clear schedule.A $27 billion defense gapThe push comes as Ukraine’s defense budget faces a $27 billion shortfall.On Monday, Ukraine’s government announced that it adopted a decision setting the priority order for state expenditures.Koretskyi said that the government will fund mainly defense, pensions, social payments and public-sector salaries, while postponing nonessential spending.“Under these conditions, we continue to adopt strict anti-crisis measures to ensure the most important priorities – defense needs and the welfare of our people,” he said.The government’s budget plans to cover about $7 billion through austerity, including cutting and reallocating spending, while the remaining $20 billion is expected to come exclusively from its Western partners.“It is time, finally, to stop spending money on non-priority items,” he said, urging local self-government bodies to set similar priorities in their own budgets and to cut spending that is not currently essential.Throughout 2026, Kyiv has struggled to receive foreign aid on time and in full because of delayed reforms and corruption scandals.Much of the support comes from the EU’s €90 billion ($102 billion) Ukraine Support Loan for 2026 and 2027, which is to be repaid from reparations owed by Russia, according to the European Council.The EU has allocated up to €45 billion ($51 billion) of it for 2026, including €17 billion ($19 billion) in budget support and €28.3 billion ($32 billion) for Ukraine’s defense industrial capacities.Ukraine’s total war costs will reach $155 billion this year, Reuters reported, citing Koretskyi on Wednesday.It marks the first time Kyiv has published an estimate of its annual war costs, so there is no comparable figure for previous years, though officials say the cost of the war has grown as both sides rely more heavily on missiles and drones.Funding from Western partnersOn Sept. 27, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced almost €710 million ($809 million) in EU support for displaced people and crisis relief worldwide, €52 million ($59 million) of which will be allocated to Ukraine ahead of winter.European Pravda separately reported that an EU-proposed €100 billion ($115 billion) funding package for Ukraine remains largely undisputed in negotiations on the bloc’s upcoming seven-year budget, spanning from 2027-34.The EU disbursed €3.3 billion (roughly $3.7 billion) to Ukraine for the procurement of missiles and drones.Separately, the EU approved a €6.1 billion ($7 billion) defense package for Ukraine on Sept. 11, allowing Kyiv to purchase the PAC-3 Patriot interceptors.According to von der Leyen, the EU has already mobilised nearly €15 billion (approximately $17 billion) to Ukraine in 2026 alone.