Ukraine is increasing its military spending to a record high
The Verkhovna Rada approved amendments to the 2026 state budget and allocated an additional 1.56 trillion hryvnia to the security and defense sector. Part of these funds will be used to purchase weapons and equipment and to provide financial support to military personnel.
Following the adoption of the document, total defense and security spending is set to rise to a record 4.4 trillion hryvnia. The government also announced additional funding for payments to military personnel.
On Wednesday, June 10, the Verkhovna Rada supported Bill No. 15224 on amendments to the 2026 state budget. The bill was approved by 242 members of parliament. The main goal of the amendments is to provide additional funding for the security and defense sector amid the ongoing war. This involves an additional 1.56 trillion hryvnia, which is planned to be allocated to the needs of the army, the procurement of weapons and military equipment, and support for Ukrainian military personnel.
The main source of funding will be assistance from the European Union under the Ukraine Support Loan program. Additionally, the government plans to utilize additional resources from the reserve fund and the internal reallocation of budget resources. A separate allocation of 559.1 million UAH is earmarked to support the energy sector.
The Cabinet of Ministers explains that part of the additional expenses will be covered using resources from the Ministry of Defense. It is through this mechanism that they plan to finance the increase in spending on military pay. The explanatory notes to the bill explicitly state that the additional funding will cover the costs of payments to military personnel.
However, specific figures regarding a possible salary increase have not yet been released. At this stage, the focus is on creating a financial resource that will enable the state to consistently fulfill its obligations to Ukrainian defenders. Specific changes to the payment system may be clarified by separate decisions of the government and the Ministry of Defense.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko stated that following the adoption of the changes, total spending on the security and defense sector will reach 4.4 trillion hryvnia. According to her, this is the highest figure since the start of the full-scale war. “These additional resources were made possible thanks to €90 billion in financial support from the European Union and other aid programs,” the prime minister noted.
According to Svyrydenko, Ukraine is set to receive 45 billion euros in international aid this year. The majority of the funding is planned to be directed toward strengthening the Ukrainian army. According to government data:
- 2.3 trillion hryvnias will go toward the procurement of weapons and military equipment;
- over 1.45 trillion hryvnias will go toward military pay;
- separate funds are earmarked to support the energy sector and other critically important areas.
The government emphasizes that the top priority remains providing the Ukrainian military with everything necessary to carry out combat missions. According to the Prime Minister, of the total aid package that Ukraine is set to receive this year, 31.8 billion euros are planned to be directed specifically toward strengthening the country’s defense capabilities.
Another €13.2 billion will go toward supporting the state budget and covering its deficit. The Cabinet of Ministers notes that international aid remains one of the key sources of funding for Ukrainian defense, alongside the state’s domestic resources. The decision means that Ukraine continues to increase funding for the military despite the significant strain on the budget.
The government expects that the additional funds will not only meet the current needs of the front lines but also boost the production and procurement of weapons. This should also ensure stable funding for payments to military personnel, which remain one of the state’s top priorities during the war. That is why the parliament’s decision is already being called one of the most important budgetary steps of the year. This is known from a post by the Verkhovna Rada’s press service and a statement by Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
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