Washington, DC: Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued the following statement today, following her meeting with Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine:
"It was my great honor to welcome President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to IMF Headquarters today.
"We spoke about the remarkable resilience of the people of Ukraine despite the enormous toll of the war. The economy is performing strongly, with GDP growth projected to reach at least 4.5 percent this year. Inflation has continued to decline, to an annual rate of 5.1 percent in November.
"We reaffirmed our close collaboration on the authorities' economic program supported under the IMF's US$15.6 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF), which is part of a US$122 billion international support package. This program has been vital to maintain macroeconomic and financial stability and support the ongoing recovery.
"We welcomed the approval of the second EFF review by the IMF Executive Board earlier today. With the much-needed support from the international community, Ukraine has been able to implement and sustain strong economic policies. The authorities also continue to demonstrate Ukraine's commitment to tackling vital governance and corruption issues. This is an important testament to President Zelenskyy's leadership and his economic team's skillful policymaking and capacity to implement reforms.
"As the IMF has noted repeatedly, timely and predictable external financing is critical in sustaining the hard-earned economic gains. We look forward to our continued engagement with Ukraine in preserving macroeconomic and financial stability, implementing an ambitious reform agenda, and further building the foundation for a strong economy with sustainable growth and for Ukraine's goal of EU accession."
