---
title: "\"Think About Elections After the War\": Zelensky Demands That the Rada Pass Laws Unlocking $30 Billion from the IMF"
description: "The Verkhovna Rada for the second time failed to support key bills that would unlock access to $30 billion from the IMF. In an evening address, Zelensky demanded that deputies fulfill their debt to the country."
date: 2026-09-01T19:02:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/zelensky-demands-rada-pass-laws-unlocking-30-billion-from-imf
tags: [ukraine, zelensky, imf, verkhovna-rada, budget, europe-integration]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# "Think About Elections After the War": Zelensky Demands That the Rada Pass Laws Unlocking $30 Billion from the IMF

![Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaking at a podium against a blue backdrop, demanding the Verkhovna Rada pass laws unlocking $30 billion from the IMF](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/01/zelenskyi-trebuot-ot-rady-prinyat-zakony-na-30-mlrd-ot-mvf/zelenskyi-trebuot-ot-rady-prinyat-zakony-na-30-mlrd-ot-mvf-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- The Rada for the second time failed to support bills No. 15460 and No. 15112d on abolishing the exemption for parcels up to 150 euros: 194 "in favor" out of the 226 required votes.
- Parliament also failed to support the creation of a consultative group to select six members of the Audit Office — a condition of EU financing and the IMF program.
- In a Telegram address, Zelensky broke down responsibility: 44 government decisions worth $15 billion (by November 1) and about $15 billion — parliament's part of the work.
- The president called for postponing talk about elections until the end of the war and voting for the decision worth $30 billion, also mentioning another $27 billion through the Ministry of Defense.
- There is a discrepancy in figures across publications: $30 billion (the overall IMF package) versus "more than $4 billion" (the fakty.com.ua estimate).

Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada for the second time failed to back a package of legislative initiatives whose adoption would have opened the way to receiving around 30 billion dollars from the International Monetary Fund. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky in an evening video address on Telegram, according to RBC-Ukraine. The head of state called the failed votes an unfulfilled debt of parliamentarians to the country and emphasized that the start of autumn amid the war is a window of opportunity to "finish what is needed for winter": to get through the current year, enter the next one, ensure defense, social payments, and the normal functioning of the state "despite everything."

### Failed Votes: What the Rada Did Not Pass

According to data previously published by RBC-Ukraine, the Rada for the second time failed to support bills No. 15460 and No. 15112d, which provide for the abolition of the customs duty exemption on parcels worth up to 150 euros. There were not enough votes to adopt these decisions: 194 MPs voted "in favor" out of the required 226. In addition, parliament did not support the creation of a consultative group of experts that was supposed to select candidates for six vacant positions of members of the Audit Office. Fulfilling this decision is one of the conditions for Ukraine receiving financing from the EU and is part of the obligations under the IMF program.

### Zelensky's Address: "Think About Elections After the War"

In his address, the president stated that all decisions based on agreements with Ukraine's partners must be adopted, even if they are unpopular, because they "help Ukraine get through this time — the time of war, ensure the front, ensure the protection of people, ensure social payments." He added that the laws necessary in relations with the EU must be supported by all factions and groups advocating Eurointegration: "Voting against or talking a lot about Europe and not voting for Europe is dishonest. And besides being dishonest, right now it is also against the state." Zelensky also warned that if someone already "wants elections and is thinking about ratings and their own political gains," then it is "not the time," and he called: "Today we need to think exclusively about what is needed for defense, for the work of the state, for payments to people. You will think about elections after the war. We need to vote for the decision worth 30 billion dollars."

### Financial Architecture: $15 Billion from the Government and $15 Billion from Parliament

The president broke down responsibility for securing funds by level of government. According to him, part of the funds from partners is unlocked by a government decision: "their 44 decisions are needed, and that will be 15 billion dollars," and the government, he assured, will ensure the adoption of these decisions by November 1. The prime minister and ministers, he noted, "are aware of their personal responsibility," but a significant part also lies with parliamentarians — "about 15 billion dollars is their part of the work that must be done." Separately, Zelensky mentioned another 27 billion dollars needed through the Ministry of Defense, on which "at all levels we are in talks with partners," emphasizing that to obtain additional funds Ukraine must fulfill what it has already promised. In conclusion, he stated that he expects clear work from the government and all parliamentarians.

### Contradictory Data

Estimates of the scale of financial losses from the failed votes differ in figures across publications. In the president's address and in the headline of the RBC-Ukraine article, the talk is of a package worth 30 billion dollars, unlocked by the adoption of the relevant laws, broken down into 15 billion from the government and about 15 billion from parliament. At the same time, in the headline of a publication by fakty.com.ua the same episode is described differently: it is claimed that due to the failed laws Ukraine "could have received more than $4 billion." Thus, one version emphasizes the total volume of the IMF program ($30 billion), while the other — the specific sum that, according to that estimate, the country could receive directly in the near term. In the provided primary texts both figures are not presented as identical, so both values are stated as different formulations of the same event without being merged into a single sum.

### Context: IMF Auditors in Kyiv

Against the backdrop of the failed votes, according to mk.ru, "auditors" from the IMF arrived in Kyiv, which the outlet links to the irritation of Western partners. This matches the logic of Zelensky's statement: fulfilling obligations under the IMF program and the conditions of financing from the EU, including issues related to the Audit Office and the abolition of postal exemptions, directly affects Ukraine's access to tranches. Thus, the failure of the votes in the Rada is perceived as a risk not only for a specific package of funds but also for the overall dynamics of relations with creditors on the eve of the winter period.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- ["Think About Elections After the War": Zelensky Demands That the Rada Pass Laws Worth 30 Billion](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/pro-vibori-podumaete-pislya-viyni-zelenskiy-1788289175.html) - Подтверждает вечернее обращение Зеленского, требование принять законы на $30 млрд и фразу о выборах после войны.
- [Zelensky Outraged by the Failed Votes of the People's Deputies](https://www.unian.net/politics/vladimir-zelenskiy-vozmutilsya-iz-za-provalnyh-golosovaniy-narodnyh-deputatov-13487382.html) - Подтверждает факт проваленных голосований и реакцию президента.
- [Could Have Given Ukraine More Than $4 Billion: Zelensky Criticizes the Rada for Failed Laws](https://fakty.com.ua/ru/ukraine/20260901-mogly-b-daty-ukrayini-ponad-4-mlrd-zelenskyj-rozkrytykuvav-radu-za-provaleni-zakony/) - Подтверждает критику Рады, но формулирует сумму как «более $4 млрд» — расхождение с $30 млрд, вынесено в блок противоречий.
- [The West Is Irritated: IMF Auditors Arrive in Kyiv](https://www.mk.ru/politics/2026/09/01/zapad-razdrazhen-v-kiev-priekhali-revizory-iz-mvf.html) - Дает контекст о визите миссии МВФ в Киев на фоне проваленных голосований.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Which specific laws did the Rada fail to pass?
**A:** For the second time, bills No. 15460 and No. 15112d on abolishing the exemption for parcels up to 150 euros (194 "in favor" out of 226 votes) were not supported, as was the decision to create a consultative group of experts to select six members of the Audit Office.

### Q: According to Zelensky, how much depends on the government and on parliament?
**A:** According to him, the government is responsible for 44 decisions worth $15 billion (by November 1), parliament for about $15 billion; he called the overall unlocked package $30 billion, plus another $27 billion through the Ministry of Defense.

### Q: What did Zelensky say about elections?
**A:** He stated that talk about elections and ratings is "not the time," and called: "You will think about elections after the war," focusing on defense, the work of the state, and payments.

### Q: Is there a discrepancy in figures between sources?
**A:** Yes: the president and RBC-Ukraine speak of $30 billion, while fakty.com.ua in its headline indicates "more than $4 billion." Both values are presented in the article as different formulations of the same event.