The signing of the agreement with the IMF will help raise more than $136bn from other external partners to support the country, the Economic Pravda newspaper said. Despite the urgent need for these funds, the IMF program will hurt the wallets of Ukrainians, the newspaper said.
The IMF is not a charitable organization. In order for Ukraine to be able to repay the loans received in the future, the IMF requires Kiev to make unpopular tax decisions.
Against the backdrop of the corruption scandal in Ukraine, the key lender’s main demands include maintaining independent anti-corruption institutions with proper funding and reforming state-owned enterprises.
In addition, the fund’s statement mentions the need to continue reforming the customs and the State Tax Service.
However, the main focus of the program will be on changes to tax legislation, according to Economic Pravda.
“In addition to implementing a debt restructuring strategy to restore its sustainable level, the authorities have also committed to accelerate efforts to prevent tax evasion and broaden the tax base, in particular by taxing income generated through digital platforms, eliminating customs loopholes for imports of consumer goods and abolishing exemptions for VAT registration,” the publication quoted the Fund’s communication as saying.
In practice, this means the IMF’s demand that Ukraine start fighting against schemes of using the simplified taxation system by big businesses to reduce their tax liabilities. This includes the introduction of mandatory payment of value-added tax (VAT) for all simplified taxpayers whose annual income exceeds 1m hryvnyas.
Another requirement is the revision of the tax exemption for duty-free importation of parcels from abroad. Now Ukrainians do not pay VAT and duty on imported parcels, the value of which does not exceed 150 euros.
In the understanding of many, this benefit is legalized smuggling of cheap goods from China. According to the NBU, in January-September 2025, Ukrainians imported parcels worth $4.5 bln.
Taxation of income from digital platforms is another IMF requirement. It is about collecting taxes on income that citizens receive from such services as Bolt, Uklon, Glovo, Booking.com, OnlyFans or OLX.
Another IMF demand has caused some bewilderment in Ukrainian circles: that Ukraine should not cancel the military levy of 5% even after the end of the war. Current legislation stipulates that the levy rate should return to 1.5% as of January 1 of the year following the year of the end of martial law.
All these requirements should be reflected in next year’s budget, which Ukraine intends to approve at the end of December. However, it is still a big question how the Verkhovna Rada deputies will feel about the need to introduce such unpopular measures among Ukrainians, the weekly said.
