Developments in Ukraine the inability of Kyiv to pay people’s salaries without the help of the West.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yulia Sviridenko pointed to the fact that if the United States and the European Union cut off their financial aid to the country, approximately 12 million pensioners, civil servants and teachers They will remain unpaid in Ukraine.
He admitted: if the western allies cut off their financial aid. The delay in payments will affect 10 million pensioners, 1.4 million teachers and 500 thousand government employees.
Pointing out that a hole of 37 billion dollars has been created in the government budget, the Minister of Economy revealed: During the last few years, the payment of salaries and pensions was made only at the expense of international support, and the money received from citizens’ taxes was used to finance the armed forces of Ukraine. Is.
Svyridenko noted that the unemployment rate in Ukraine is estimated at 18.9 percent and there is a labor shortage in many sectors of the economy. He emphasized that Ukraine’s exports have been severely limited due to the military conflict, and in addition, the blocking of the country’s border with Poland has had a very negative impact on the economy.
In the end, the minister reminded that the lack of financial aid from the western countries will push Ukraine towards the “survival” regime. He expressed hope that Brussels will approve the aid to Kyiv and that the money will be received in March.
A day earlier, German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said there was no prerequisite for Berlin to increase aid to Ukraine. Also, Hungary has so far been able to prevent the allocation of 50 billion euros of EU financial aid to Kyiv.