Ukraine's foreign currency reserves stood at $43.8 billion as of April 1, up 18% from March, the central bank said on Friday.

The increase reflected a significant inflow of financial aid from Ukraine's Western partners, the bank said in a statement.

In March, Kyiv attracted about $9 billion in external financing, following gaps in steady inflows in previous months.

Critical for Ukraine's budget and military effort, an aid package from the U.S. is still being blocked by Republicans in Congress.

Kyiv spends most of its own revenue to finance its defence since Russia invaded in February 2022, leaving the country heavily reliant on funding from Western partners to cover its social spending. (Reporting by Yuliia Dysa; editing by Jason Neely)