Taxes are not the only way to save the budget

Pritzker said this at a news conference in the Ukrainian capital on 29 July. In September, she will leave the post of the United States special representative for Ukraine's economic recovery because her tenure is limited to one year.

You have revenues that you are not getting and that you should be getting today. Let's focus on that first. There is also a huge source of revenue in the grey markets for cigarettes, alcohol, or electronics that can be sold in a large market. So we encouraged the Ukrainian government to focus on that first.

It also suggested reforming customs through digitalisation, which would provide an opportunity to prevent any corruption. The US is encouraging Ukraine to increase revenue and not by raising taxes, but precisely by reforming customs and fighting grey markets.

At the same press conference, Pritzker said that Ukraine needs to return refugees and veterans to the country, as the demographic problem is one of the key problems Ukraine will face after the cessation of hostilities.

As is known, the Cabinet of Ministers is preparing for a serious tax increase. According to its representatives, there is simply no other way to replenish the budget.

The chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Financial, Tax and Customs Policy, Danylo Hetmantsev, and Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko have saidthat the situation in the country is critical. In their opinion, the issue of raising taxes should not be delayed. There is little time left to cover the deficit and not to create a budget crisis.