Ukrainian finance minister denies plans to raise taxes

MOSCOW. April 18 (Interfax) - Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergei Marchenko has denied plans to raise taxes anytime soon.

"We don't have any fiscalization plans and don't consider raising expenditures, and everything will be done in line with the law," Ukrainian media quoted Marchenko as saying at a Government Hour hearing at the Verkhovna Rada on Friday.

The short-term plans include preparing a budget declaration for 2026-2028, which would include scenarios of the government's possible responses to various fiscal risks, Marchenko said.

"We're working actively to be able to respond to any developments," he said.

Washington will host so-called Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) next week, which a Ukrainian delegation plans to attend, he said.

"We'll have active consultations with the finance ministers from partner countries, with the IMF and the WBG, where we'll formulate our risks and warnings and show that the situation requires additional support," Marchenko said.