Ukraine's int'l reserves down 5% to $54.8 bln in Feb 2026 - NBU

MOSCOW. March 6 (Interfax) - Preliminary data show that Ukraine's international reserves decreased 5%, or by $2.91 billion in February 2026 to $54.75 billion as of March 1, having grown continuously since August 2025, local media reported, citing a statement on the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) website.

"This dynamics in February was driven by the NBU's FX interventions and Ukraine's FX debt repayments. These transactions were only partially offset by funding received from international partners and inflows from the placement of FX domestic government debt securities," the NBU said.

A total of $1 billion came into the government's foreign currency accounts at the NBU in February, including $690.8 million provided via World Bank accounts under the G7's Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) for Ukraine initiative, and $309.6 million from the placement of domestic government bonds.

At the same time, the Ukrainian government spent $804.1 million on servicing and repaying its forex debt, including $472.2 million to service and redeem forex domestic government bonds, and $331.9 million to meet the country's debt liabilities to other creditors. Ukraine also repaid $279.7 million to the International Monetary Fund.

The NBU's dollar sales on the forex market dropped 19.8%, or by $0.74 billion to nearly $2.99 billion in February 2026.

In February, financial instruments increased in value by $152.5 million following their revaluation.

"International reserves are now covering 5.7 months of future imports," the NBU said.

The regulator said in its January 2026 Inflation Report that international assistance for Ukraine is expected to stand at $51.4 billion in 2026, $42.7 billion in 2027, and $21.6 billion in 2028, which should help maintain the country's international reserves at around $65 billion as of the end of 2026, around $73 billion in 2027, and nearly $71 billion in 2028.