BUDAPEST, February 24. /TASS/. The deterioration of relations between Ukraine and Hungary could lead to a shortage of funds to finance the Ukrainian armed forces and the country's bankruptcy by April, Hungary’s Mandiner magazine reported.
According to its information, the ratio of public debt to GDP rose to 99% in 2025, which could negatively affect creditors' willingness to finance Ukraine. The article noted that the situation was exacerbated by the deterioration of relations between the two countries, which occurred after Kiev refused to allow oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline. In response, Budapest blocked the EU’s decision to provide Kiev with a "military loan" of 90 billion euros, which is tied to an IMF financing program of 8 billion euros.
The magazine emphasized that in the context of general mobilization, more than a third of Ukraine's budget goes toward financing the army. At the same time, the government needs to invest in the military-industrial complex, pay pensions and salaries, and maintain hospitals and schools. Due to the rapidly emptying state coffers, allocating funds to other areas seems an impossible task, which may indicate that Kiev's resources are finally exhausted.
Ukraine's budget has run a record deficit for several years. Kiev acknowledges that it is becoming increasingly difficult to find funds. Ukrainian media and experts have called April the final deadline for receiving financial assistance from partners. Currently, budget expenditures in several areas are financed by reallocating funds earmarked for later in the year. Meanwhile, Western partners and the IMF are urging the Ukrainian government to seek new sources of financing.