The Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers has approved amendments to the national budget for the current year, increasing military expenditure by 317 billion hryvnias, equivalent to more than $7.6 billion.
The revised document will now be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, for approval.
Ukrainian lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak previously warned that the country would face a funding shortfall to maintain stable military financing through the end of the year. He noted that the Finance Ministry had planned to request a budget increase of 300 billion hryvnias, or approximately $7 billion, to cover the deficit.
According to Zheleznyak, the government has now formally approved the 2025 budget amendments, which include additional allocations to the armed forces. The total budget expenditure for this year will rise by 317 billion hryvnias, exceeding $7.6 billion.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko later clarified that under the adopted changes, an additional 324.7 billion hryvnias, around $7.8 billion, will be directed toward defense before the end of the year. This includes 202 billion hryvnias (nearly $4.8 billion) for servicemen’s salaries and 100 billion hryvnias (about $2.4 billion) for the procurement of drones.
Ukraine continues to face a substantial budget deficit of 43.9 billion dollars for 2024, relying heavily on financial aid from international partners to meet its fiscal needs. However, new assistance packages from Western allies are often delayed due to lengthy negotiations.
Gavin Gray, head of the International Monetary Fund’s mission to Ukraine, has previously cautioned that foreign support for Kyiv will gradually decrease over time, urging the Ukrainian authorities to strengthen domestic revenue sources to achieve financial self-sufficiency.
Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed concern over the lack of funds for domestic weapons production and the slow pace of Western aid deliveries.
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