kyiv, ukraine — Ukraine’s government faces the prospect of delaying pensions and salaries for public servants if crucial Western financial aid is not approved soon, Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko told the Financial Times on Wednesday.

Kyiv has poured all its revenue into defense since Russia’s February 2022 invasion, relying on foreign support to cover everything from pensions to social payments.

But key funding packages, including $55.54 billion from the European Union, have been blocked in Brussels and Washington.

“The support of partners is extremely critical,” Svyrydenko told the newspaper. “We need it urgently.”

She said 500,000 civil servants, 1.4 million teachers and 10 million pensioners could experience payment delays.

Svyrydenko told the Financial Times that she hoped the EU funding would be approved in February and delivered in March.
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