EU, IMF understand need to help Ukraine finance budget gap, Zelenskiy says

KYIV, Sept 25 (Reuters) - ‌Ukrainian President Volodymyr ​Zelenskiy ​said on Friday that the European Union and the International Monetary Fund understood the importance of ‌helping Kyiv finance its budget deficit and defence ⁠spending.

Ukraine is seeking an additional $27 billion from partners this year for ‌defence, saying the cost of ‌the war has risen as Ukraine and Russia intensify long-range drone and missile attacks on each other's ​military and economic assets, while continuing to fight along a 1,200-km (745-mile) front line.

Kyiv has asked to bring forward ⁠part of a loan from the European Union.

Zelenskiy said Ukraine needed to ​order drones in October and November or it will face challenges at the start of next ​year.

"Everyone understands that Ukraine cannot ‌be alone, and that more investment is needed in Ukrainian-made drones and missiles," he told ⁠reporters in a WhatsApp briefing, adding that he had received a positive response from European Commission President Ursula von der ⁠Leyen.

Aside from defence, Ukraine also relies on foreign help to finance ​its social and humanitarian spending. It expects to need more than $52 billion in international financial aid next year.

Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko told ‌reporters that an IMF mission for a second review of Ukraine's financing programme was ‌expected in November and that Kyiv needed to have a ⁠plan in place by ‌then how to ​fund next year's budget.

(Reporting by Olena Hamash and Pavel Polityuk. Editing by Daniel Flynn and Mark ‌Potter)

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