Ukraine's payments on foreign debts from 2017 will start to permanently grow and a lack of regular funding from international financial institutions (IFI) as a result of "slipping" of the program of cooperation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) threatens the country with a default or new restructuring in 2018-2019, CEO of Dragon Capital investment company, President of the European Business Association Tomas Fiala considers.

"It is very important for Ukraine to stay in the IMF program, receive tranches two or three times a year instead of once a year to create a buffer [the stock of international reserves]," he said at a press conference in Kyiv.

Fiala explained the current level of reserves is $15.2 billion, in particular net reserves amount to $3.7 billion, but the year of 2016 was the "softest" in terms of servicing the national debt: payments totaled $1.7 billion, while over the next three years they will increase to $14 billion.

He said in 2017 they will increase to $2.3 billion for the government, to $300 million for the National Bank, and in general to $2.6 billion, in 2018 to $3.2 billion and $700 million respectively, and in general to a total of $3.9 billion.