The share of non-performing loans (NPLs) in the banking sector fell by 1 percentage point to 12.92% during January–March 2026, according to data from the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU).
“The decline in the NPL ratio in January–March 2026 was driven by both an increase in the volume of new, higher-quality loans and the resolution of non-performing debts,” the National Bank noted in a press release on its website.
The banking system’s gross loan portfolio grew by 75.84 billion UAH in the first quarter of 2026—to 1 trillion 435.58 billion UAH—including an increase of 3.66 billion UAH in March.
The trend in the gross volume of non-performing loans during the quarter was uneven: after growing in January, the figure declined in February and March, and the March reduction of UAH 5.55 billion accounted for the bulk of the quarterly decrease of UAH 3.82 billion—to UAH 185.49 billion.
A reduction in the NPL ratio in the first quarter of the year was recorded across all bank groups: for banks with state ownership (excluding PrivatBank)—from 25.07% to 23.86%, at PrivatBank—from 8.45% to 7.74%, at financial institutions with foreign capital—from 6.46% to 6.17%, and at private Ukrainian banks—from 8.37% to 7.75%.
In absolute terms, as of April 1, NPLs increased at PrivatBank by UAH 592.0 million, to UAH 19.41 billion, and at banks with foreign capital by UAH 196.43 million, to UAH 18.76 billion.
The top five banks by NPL volume were state-owned banks: Oschadbank with UAH 44.78 billion (UAH 43.83 billion at the start of the year), Ukreximbank – UAH 25.52 billion (UAH 33.19 billion), Sens Bank – UAH 23.92 billion (UAH 22.46 billion), Ukrgasbank – UAH 21.87 billion (UAH 21.79 billion), and PrivatBank – UAH 19.41 billion (UAH 18.82 billion).
The top ten also included Raiffeisen Bank with UAH 8.17 billion (UAH 8.05 billion), PUMB – UAH 5.04 billion (UAH 4.94 billion), TAScombank – UAH 4.06 billion (UAH 4.08 billion), OTP Bank – UAH 3.71 billion (UAH 3.19 billion), and Idea Bank – UAH 3.52 billion (UAH 3.17 billion).
At the same time, Alliance Bank had the highest NPL ratio among banks with the largest loan portfolios—39.9% (49.6%), followed by Sens Bank with 29.8% (28.5%), and Idea Bank rounded out the top three with 28.8% (28.6%).
State-owned banks took fourth through sixth place: Oschadbank – 26.4% (26.5%), Ukreximbank – 20.8% (25.3%), and Ukrgasbank – 19.3% (20.1%).
The top ten also included TAScombank with 16.3% (16.6%), MTB Bank – 11.6% (9.9%), A-Bank – 10.9% (12.0%), and Radabank – 10.6% (12.3%).
The Central Bank noted that in the corporate sector, the share of non-performing loans decreased from 16.99% to 15.73% in the first quarter, and in the retail sector from 10.78% to 10.32%.
As reported, the downward trend in the NPL ratio has continued since early 2023, when it rose to 38.1%. Prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion, non-performing loans in Ukrainian banks had been declining since 2018: from 55% to 27% as of March 1, 2022.
In December 2025, the NPL ratio fell sharply—from 23.9% to 13.9%—after PrivatBank ceased recognizing approximately 140 billion UAH in old hryvnia-denominated assets as non-performing.
Efforts to extinguish a large-scale forest fire continue in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
“As of 5:00 p.m., the fire had spread across 1,200 hectares—dry weather and strong gusts of wind are contributing to the fire’s spread,” – according to a statement by the State Emergency Service on Telegram on Saturday.
A total of 374 people have been deployed to fight the fire, including 253 rescuers from the State Emergency Service.
“The situation is fully under control,” the State Emergency Service assured.
The nationalist Scottish National Party (SNP), which advocates for Scotland’s independence from the United Kingdom, won the Scottish elections, securing 58 seats.
This was reported on the official website of the Scottish Parliament on Saturday.
The Reform UK party has 17 members of parliament, the Scottish Labour Party has 17 members, the Scottish Green Party has 15 members; the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party has 12 members; and the Scottish Liberal Democrats have 10 members of parliament
A majority requires 65 seats, but the SNP may form a coalition.
The 2026 local elections in Scotland (and across the UK), held in early May, ended in a significant defeat for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s ruling Labour Party. The populist Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage, achieved significant success, winning over 300 seats and setting a record.
The elections took place on May 7, 2026, and also covered England and Wales.
King Frederik X of Denmark, given that Social Democratic leader and long-time pro-Ukrainian Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen was unable to secure sufficient support to form a government, has entrusted this task to the current Minister of Defense and leader of the Liberal Party, Troels Lund Poulsen. This is stated in a press release from the Danish Royal Palace.
“Representatives of the Liberal Party, the Danish People’s Party, the Liberal Alliance, the Moderates, the Conservative People’s Party, the Danish Democrats, and the Civic Party—which together hold 87 seats—recommended that Liberal Party leader Troels Lund Poulsen lead the negotiations on forming a government,” reads the statement following the king’s meeting with representatives of political parties on the Royal Palace’s website, which took place on the evening of May 8.
Representatives of the Social Democratic Party, the Socialist People’s Party, the Red-Green Alliance, the Radical Left Party, and the Alternative, which together hold 84 seats, advised that incumbent Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen be tasked with leading the government formation talks once again.
Following this, the king received Frederiksen, who, in light of the parties’ statements, advised Frederik X to entrust Poulsen with leading such negotiations.
Accordingly, the king asked Poulsen to lead the negotiations on forming a government.
On May 8, Mette Frederiksen informed the king that, following the first round of negotiations, she had been unable to secure sufficient support from the parties to form a government. In the Danish parliamentary elections on March 24, Frederiksen’s Social Democrats won, but the centrist party of incumbent Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen secured the “golden share” with 14 seats.
Subsequently, Rasmussen, who serves as foreign minister in Frederiksen’s government, issued an ultimatum to her.
Ukraine is ready to deepen parliamentary cooperation with Hungary, said Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada.
“I congratulate Ágnes Forsthoffer (Ágnes Forsthoffer – IF-U) on her appointment as Speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary… Ukraine is ready to deepen parliamentary cooperation, strengthen interpersonal ties, and develop practical initiatives in the areas of trade, education, and cultural exchange,” Stefanchuk wrote on Facebook on Saturday.
According to him, he hopes for close cooperation and the further strengthening of the Ukrainian-Hungarian partnership in various areas.
The Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament wished Forsthofer success in realizing the will and aspirations of the Hungarian people.
Forsthofer, who previously served as deputy chair of Péter Magyar’s “TISZA” party, was elected Speaker of Parliament on May 9.
As reported, the Hungarian Parliament elected Magyar as the country’s prime minister on Saturday.
An international evacuation of passengers from the luxury cruise ship MV Hondius is being prepared off the coast of Tenerife after an outbreak of hantavirus was detected on board, causing several cases of illness, while the World Health Organization emphasizes that the risk to public health remains low, Reuters reports.
European countries and the United States are organizing the evacuation of their citizens from the ship, which is heading to a Spanish port near Tenerife, after the WHO informed member states of the evacuation procedure and recommended enhanced medical monitoring of passengers for 42 days from the time of their last contact.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated: “I want you to hear me clearly: this is not another COVID. The current public health risk from hantavirus remains low.”
According to the organization, six cases of infection have been laboratory-confirmed, with two more suspected cases; among the deceased are a married couple from the Netherlands and a German citizen.
The cruise ship is expected to drop anchor near the island between 3:00 a.m. (6:00 a.m. Kyiv time – IF-U) and 5:00 a.m. (8:00 a.m. Kyiv time – IF-U), after which the evacuation will take place from Sunday through Monday at the industrial port of Granadilla.
Passengers will be transported to shore in sealed and secured vehicles via an isolated corridor, followed by repatriation to their countries of origin, while their luggage and the body of the deceased will remain on board until disinfection is complete.
Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands have already sent planes to evacuate their citizens; the EU is sending two additional planes for other European passengers, while the U.S. and the U.K. are preparing their own flights and contingency plans.
