Government Debt of Ukraine: The Challenges and Threats for the Economy

The scientific study carried out a retrospective analysis on the interpretation of the concept of «government debt» and defined its role for the State and society. It was found that the most liberal approach to the formation of government debt obligations and tax pressure on society can be traced when considering the Keynesian theory. The essence of the concept of «debt» in the Civil Code of Ukraine is defined. Thus, given the complexity and diversity of the definition, the legislator cites the interpretation of debt from the standpoint of financial relations between the borrower and the lender. The concept of «government debt» has certain specific characteristics, although there are common features with the well-known concept of «debt». This is connected with the presence of a special status of the debtor, a role acted by the State, which at the same time can also be a creditor for business entities and certain sectors of the economy. The article analyzes the formation of government debt from 2010 to 2022 As of the end of the second quarter of 2022, the government and government guaranteed debt of Ukraine amounted to UAH 3083.22 billion, including: government and government guaranteed external debt – UAH 1789.39 billion; government and government guaranteed domestic debt – UAH 1293.83 billion. Such a significant amount of government debt in 2022 is caused by the need to finance the costs of the army and protection of the territorial integrity of Ukraine. According to experts in the field of public finance management, at the end of 2022 the government debt in relation to GDP will be about 106%. This indicator is quite high, but does not pose a significant threat to the country’s economy. It is determined that with the normalization of the situation and with the growth of economic potential, debts can be repaid on time and in full. The authors of the article support the position on the impossibility of default on the debts, since this economic phenomenon negatively affects the reputation of the borrower country in the future.