Ukraine's int'l reserves down 5% to nearly $52 bln in March 2026 - NBU

MOSCOW. April 7 (Interfax) - Preliminary data show that Ukraine's international reserves decreased 5%, or by $2.75 billion in March 2026 to $51.998 billion as of April 1, local media reported, citing a statement on the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) website.

"This dynamics was driven by the NBU's FX intervention 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.

The NBU sold $4.774 billion on the forex market in March. A total of $3.046 billion came into the government's foreign currency accounts at the NBU last month, including $1.521 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), $1.474 billion provided via World Bank accounts, and $50.5 million from the placement of domestic government bonds.

In March 2026, the Ukrainian government spent $123.3 million on servicing and repaying its forex debt. Ukraine also repaid $260 million to the IMF.

Financial instruments decreased in value by $656 million due to a revaluation as a result of the U.S. dollar's strengthening to other reserve currencies and lower gold prices, the NBU said.

"International reserves are now covering 5.5 months of future imports [...] Despite the decrease, international reserves are sufficient to maintain FX market sustainability," it 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 boost the country's international reserves at around $65 billion as of the end of 2026, and to $73 billion in 2027.

Ukraine's international reserves grew 30.8% to $57.3 billion in 2025.