Ukraine's defense budget is short by €23 billion — Khmara
Ukraine’s total defense budget deficit currently stands at €23 billion. Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara called on international partners to make the necessary financial decisions by November.
He made this statement on September 8 during a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in the “Ramstein” format.
According to Khmara, at the NATO summit in Turkey in July, partners pledged €70 billion to Ukraine for defense needs. So far, €62 billion has been provided, including bilateral aid and an EU loan. Thus, an additional €8 billion is needed to fulfill this commitment.
At the same time, the total need is significantly greater—Ukraine’s defense budget is short by €23 billion. A significant portion of the additional funding is needed to purchase drones.
“These funds will allow us to finance drones to ensure stable deliveries this year and early next year. Up to 90 percent of our success on the battlefield depends on drones,” the minister said.
Separately, Khmara announced contracts for approximately 1,000 missiles for the Patriot systems, which Ukraine is securing with the support of its partners and thanks to an EU loan. However, most of them will not arrive until the coming years, so Kyiv is asking its allies to transfer missiles from their own stockpiles now in exchange for future deliveries.
Ukraine also needs air-to-air missiles and man-portable air defense systems to combat jet-powered drones and “Shaheds.”
Source: Suspilne.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara discussed strengthening Ukraine’s air defense with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara stated that the Ministry of Defense should procure for the army exactly what the troops on the front lines need. According to him, the main guideline for procurement should be the decision of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine regarding the necessary ammunition, drones, and other weapons.
