NBU Softens Rules on Loan Restructuring for Businesses

The National Bank of Ukraine has relaxed a number of requirements for restructuring loans and for businesses to obtain new financing against the backdrop of heightened Russian attacks on infrastructure.

The regulator said the changes should give banks more flexibility to work with viable enterprises that have encountered temporary financial difficulties. Specifically, this covers conditions for restructuring existing debt and for companies to access new credit resources.

The NBU explained its decision by pointing out the vast destruction that Ukraine’s infrastructure has suffered lately. The regulator separately highlighted damage to marine export infrastructure and logistics centers, which in turn create additional trouble for businesses.

The National Bank expects the new rules will allow a significant proportion of borrowers to stabilize their operations, maintain output and preserve jobs. The softening, however, does not release banks from the need to assess credit risk and the customers’ financial condition.

The NBU also recalled the experience gained with “preventive” restructurings after the 2020 and 2022 crises. According to the central bank, such a mechanism enables viable borrowers to survive temporary difficulties without creating additional threats to financial stability.

Previously, the National Bank had already altered its approaches to evaluating credit risk in order to expand banks’ ability to lend to the economy. As an example, for the full year 2025 the net portfolio of hryvnia corporate loans grew by more than one-third.

Based on materials: National Bank of Ukraine