Ukraine's parliament supports several bills tied to Western funding, with dozens remaining ahead

Ukraine's parliament voted on October 13 to back a series of bills tied to Western funding, as the government aims to secure billions in financial assistance. Delays in meeting international commitments risk 29.5 billion euros ($33 billion) in funding, leading the government to suspend non-essential spending. To secure the funds, parliament must pass around 30 bills by the end of the year, with votes on some expected this week.

On October 13, lawmakers approved three bills in the first reading related to funding from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the EU under the Ukraine Facility. These bills include measures to cap borrowing costs, limit courts' access to bank secrecy, and simplify value-added tax (VAT) administration for businesses. Additionally, a long-discussed bill on the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) aimed at aligning Ukraine's financial monitoring rules with European Union standards was scheduled for consideration.

However, the bill was ultimately dropped from the agenda after lawmakers realized it lacked sufficient support. Despite some optimism from ruling party lawmakers, the vote on this bill failed. With ongoing slow progress on legislation and reforms linked to Western funding, the government has intensified its engagement with lawmakers.

Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi met with members of President Volodymyr Zelensky's party and Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko to discuss the issue. However, the support for anti-corruption strategies and other rule-of-law reforms remains uncertain, with some lawmakers expressing doubts about their chances of passing.