KYIV, Feb 21 – The need for additional external financing to cover the budget deficit of Ukraine in 2023 is currently $10 billion, the opening of a full-fledged long-term program with the support of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will help reduce this deficit, maintain macroeconomic and financial stability, Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko has said at a meeting with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva in Kyiv on Monday.

"Last week, during the IMF mission, we reached a Staff Level Agreement on the review of Program Monitoring with Board Involvement. In this context, we look forward to starting discussions on a full-fledged program with the support of the IMF to ensure the financing of priority, including humanitarian and social budget expenditures in 2023," the press service of the Ministry of Finance quotes his words in a press release.