Zelenskyy says EU tied faster Ukraine financing to tax and anti-shadow-economy laws

Published 2026-09-24 · Updated 2026-09-24

What happened

After meeting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in New York on September 24, President Zelenskyy said Ukraine and the EU would work on solutions to speed up financing and that EU representatives had connected additional funding to progress on laws targeting the shadow economy, tax collection, and EU-rule alignment.

Why it matters

The statement indicates that near-term EU disbursement timing may depend on legislative action in Kyiv rather than only on previously agreed macro-financial frameworks. That can affect cash planning for defense-related procurement and budget financing in the coming weeks.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on September 24 after talks in New York with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that Ukraine and the EU would work on ways to accelerate financing for Ukraine. He said the need is tied to higher war costs, including urgent demand for drones and air defense. Zelenskyy also said EU representatives want to see progress on legislation to reduce the shadow economy, raise tax receipts, and align Ukrainian law with EU norms before additional funding is provided. The statement links near-term external cash flow to parliamentary delivery on revenue and compliance measures.

Watch for

Verkhovna Rada leadership publication of a voting schedule on tax or anti-shadow-economy bills by 2026-09-27 European Commission spokesperson or DG NEAR statement by 2026-09-27 specifying legislative conditions for accelerated Ukraine financing Ministry of Finance of Ukraine announcement by 2026-09-27 on bridge financing, revised borrowing, or cash-plan adjustments tied to external receipts No Verkhovna Rada first-reading or final vote on the cited revenue-compliance bills by 2026-09-27

Sources

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