Dollar and Euro Drop Against Hryvnia: NBU Sets May 17 Exchange Rates

Official Exchange Rates for May 17, 2026

According to Главком: Ukraine's central bank, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), has released the official currency exchange rates for May 17, 2026. Compared to Friday's figures, the US dollar and euro lost value, while the Polish zloty strengthened. The official rate for the dollar stands at 43.95 UAH, the euro at 51.43 UAH, and the zloty at 12.13 UAH. The full list of official NBU rates for this date is as follows:

• USD - 43.9569
• EUR - 51.4384
• GBP - 59.3924
• PLN - 12.1378
• CHF - 56.2109

Bank Exchange Rates

Rates recorded at major Ukrainian banks on May 17, 2026, are as follows:

• Oschadbank: dollar at 43.85/44.30 and euro at 51.20/51.70.
• Privatbank: USD at 43.75/44.35 and EUR at 50.70/51.70.
• PUMB: rates of 43.80/44.40 for the dollar and 51.20/51.90 for the euro.
• Monobank: USD at 43.91/44.41, EUR at 51.06/51.75.
• Raiffeisen: 43.85/44.29 for the dollar and 51.10/51.65 for the euro.
• OTP Bank: 43.80/44.10 for USD and 51.10/51.80 for EUR.
• Ukrsibbank: dollar at 43.90/44.38 and euro at 51.05/51.79.

These bank rates were recorded at 08:30 on May 17, 2026.

The NBU Board has decided to keep its key policy rate unchanged at 15%. Inflation in Ukraine had been steadily declining from June 2025 through January 2026, but began to rise again after January. This uptick is attributed to higher energy costs, ongoing damage to the power grid from Russian strikes, a sharp spike in fuel prices amid the conflict in the Middle East, as well as the effects of a weaker hryvnia and rising wages.

The NBU has also approved an operation to exchange banks' non-cash foreign currency for cash currency.

Vitaliy Shapran noted that 'the dollar cannot remain weak against the euro forever, and as soon as a final trade agreement is signed between the US and the EU, the market will return to normal.'

He further emphasized that 'if conditions warm up, the working range for gold would be $3,000–4,000 per ounce.'

These currency movements reflect shifts in Ukraine's financial markets, which are tied to both global economic trends and domestic challenges. The NBU's decision to hold the key rate amid rising inflation signals its effort to curb price pressures and support the hryvnia. A key factor to watch remains the potential US-EU trade deal, which could significantly impact currency markets and the broader economy.