IMF will decide on salary and pension increases in Ukraine: what the decision depends on.

According to ТСН: Social expenditures of the new budget completely depend on international support. Therefore, salary and pension increases in Ukraine will only be possible after a corresponding decision by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

This information was voiced by economist Oleg Pendzin during the program 'We are Ukraine'.

'The numbers are beautiful: there are salary increases for teachers and an enhancement of social standards. But for me, as an economist, the main question is the source of the money. The 2.8 trillion planned by Ukraine will go to security and defense, and I give a 100% guarantee that this will be insufficient,' said Oleg Pendzin, a member of the Economic Discussion Club.

The IMF Board of Directors has not yet made a decision, and its adoption depends on the financial assistance that Ukraine is supposed to receive from the European Union. However, the EU has not yet determined the sources of funding.

Pendzin also noted that we will repeatedly witness budget revisions in 2026.

Pay Increase for the Military

Earlier, there was talk of a possible salary increase for the military. Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Oleksandr Korniienko believes that an amount of 35,000-40,000 hryvnias could significantly improve the morale of the fighters.

'Psychologically, it's easier for people with such a salary,' he noted.

In modern conditions, when the country faces numerous challenges, financial assistance from international partners plays a key role in budget stability. Direct dependence on the IMF's decision and financial flows from the European Union creates additional uncertainty in planning social expenditures, particularly salaries for the military and social standards for the population. The decision-making process may take time; however, it is important that each of them is monitored in the context of overall support for Ukraine during a crisis.