MOSCOW, September 25. /TASS/. Ukraine expects to receive $29.5 bln from its Western partners by the end of the year under a number of support programs, RBC-Ukraine reported, citing Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergey Marchenko.

According to the report, the minister announced the figure at a meeting with journalists. Marchenko believes the funds should help prevent a budget shortfall, the agency added.

Ukraine has been running budgets with record deficits for several years. Kiev acknowledges that the country has completely exhausted its own resources and that finding additional funds is becoming increasingly difficult.

On September 18, Vladimir Zelensky said Ukraine faced an "astronomical deficit" of funds. According to the latest government data, Ukraine’s budget shortfall stands at around $57.4 bln.