The IMF accused Russia of escalating the war despite public calls for peaceful negotiations.

Russia's actions diverge from public calls for peaceful negotiations. In recent months, there has been an escalation of military activities and an increase in airstrikes on cities.

This is reported by RBK-Ukraine citing the IMF Memorandum with Ukraine.

As the foundation's experts note, Russia's war in Ukraine continues to cause immense humanitarian losses. Air attacks, especially those using drones, have intensified in recent months. The Black Sea shipping routes remain open despite recent attacks on cargo vessels.

"As we approach the third anniversary of the Russian invasion, the humanitarian consequences remain staggering: available data indicates that 6.75 million refugees are already outside Ukraine, alongside recent signs of increased external migration; nearly 4 million internally displaced persons; almost 12,000 civilians killed and nearly 26,000 injured," the document states.

According to the IMF, more than a quarter of Ukraine's population has been displaced - either as refugees or within the country. Various surveys suggest that most migrants abroad still plan to return to Ukraine as soon as safety, economic conditions, and housing improve. However, their share is decreasing, reflecting further adaptation of migrants to host countries, which creates a risk of labor shortages for post-war recovery.

Additionally, some reports indicate that new energy generation issues may lead to a further temporary increase in refugees to Europe, the Memorandum states.

The document notes that despite the extremely challenging conditions arising from the war, Ukraine's economy has shown remarkable resilience and grew by 4.2% in the first 10 months of 2024, with growth expected to remain around 4% by the end of the year.

According to the IMF, the economy could recover more quickly, especially if the security situation improves sooner than anticipated.

"At the same time, risks remain exceptionally high - Russia's military escalation in November-December is inconsistent with public calls for peaceful negotiations and causes immense suffering for people, greater damage and losses for businesses, as well as additional pressure on budget expenditures and increased funding needs," the Memorandum states.

Recall that Vladimir Putin stated on December 19: "We are always ready for negotiations and compromises. It’s just that the opposing side has rejected negotiations."

The IMF's baseline scenario suggests that Russia's war with Ukraine will conclude by the end of 2025.