Despite a number of disputes within the European Union regarding the further support of the Ukrainian state and the approval of funding, Ukraine will not be able to rely on internal resources to fill the state budget in 2024. This opinion was expressed by Alona Lebedieva, an economic expert and the owner of the Ukrainian industrial and investment group of companies Aurum Group.
“In 2022, Ukraine’s economy bottomed out, GDP fell by a third, and the inflation rate was 26.6%. It was a year of trials for every Ukrainian. But despite the circumstances, both business and the population began to adapt quickly, and thanks to significant amounts of external financing, we “pushed off” from this bottom. However, the situation in the country’s economy remains extremely difficult. The war, which is entering a protracted stage, remains a key threat to our macrostability, – said economic expert Alona Lebedieva, – It should be expected that in 2024, the pressure from a number of unfavorable factors will only increase. After all, according to the forecasts of the NBU, the ratio of national debt to GDP will cross the 95% mark, the deficit in foreign trade in goods and services will exceed $35 billion, the rate of inflation will accelerate significantly, we will experience a labor shortage and a weak increase in investments due to the war, etc.“
“According to estimates, next year the Ukrainian economy will be able to independently provide a little more than half of its own expenses, which will go to the needs of the army. Under these conditions, the macroeconomic stability of the country in 2024 continues to depend precisely on the stability of assistance from partners, – stressed Alona Lebedieva, – The EU became our main support in 2023. And I sincerely believe that despite certain disputes within the European Union regarding Ukraine, we will continue to feel unprecedented support from European society.“
The day before, during the European Business Summit, which took place in Brussels from November 28 to 29, the owner of Aurum Group, Alona Lebedieva, called for a constructive dialogue and a fair solution to the problem of blocking transit passes at the borders with the EU, as a result of which the Ukrainian economy has already suffered losses for more than 400 million euros. She noted: “The border of Ukraine and Poland is the border of our state and the European Union, and there can be no contradiction.“