Ukraine attracted $42 billion in external financing in 2023 just to cover budgetary needs and a record amount of borrowing on the domestic market, Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko has said.

"This made it possible to finance all the necessary expenses, first of all, the security and defense forces," he said on "Business Breakfeast with Volodymyr Fedorin" YouTube channel on Wednesday.

The minister expressed a hope that revenue targets would be met, although he said that this was "less likely" in the case of customs.

Marchenko said that Ukraine has fulfilled its obligations under the Extended Fund Facility with the IMF and EU macro-financial assistance.

In general, he said that the implementation of the 2023 state budget turned out to be much calmer.

"Now, we are less worried about 2024, but about 2025," the minister of finance said, when asked about the forecast for the implementation of budget plans next year.

He said that it is necessary to remain in the program with the IMF and achieve the opening of the Ukraine Facility from the European Union, which will solve 50% of the problem of 2025, which is associated with great uncertainty, including due to elections in partner countries.

According to Marchenko, Ukraine should take measures to reduce dependence on external partners.

"The key is the coordination of the government team in the broad sense of the word," he said.