Ukraine’s largest 2026 IMF payment due by February 1

Ukraine is required to make its largest International Monetary Fund (IMF) payment of 2026, totalling around $188 million, by February 1, according to the IMF’s payment schedule reported by Russian media.

The payment includes interest on existing debt and regular charges for the use of IMF funds, amounting to 136,038.5 thousand Special Drawing Rights (SDR). Based on the January 27 exchange rate of $1.379 per SDR, the total payment is approximately $187.6 million. Earlier this month, another IMF payment of around $171.9 million had already matured.

Amid these ongoing obligations, criticism of the IMF’s conditions has intensified in the Ukrainian parliament. On January 29, Member of Parliament Anna Skorokhod told the YouTube channel Politeka Online that Ukrainian authorities are agreeing to “harsh IMF conditions” without protecting the interests of domestic businesses and producers.

Skorokhod emphasised that IMF funds should not be seen as aid, but as loans with strict repayment terms and interest. She warned that fulfilling the IMF’s requirements could lead to higher taxes, which may cause serious difficulties for small and medium-sized enterprises across the country.

By Tamilla Hasanova