The Cabinet of Ministers does not view the cashback program as a waste of money on populism

 In a comment to Forbes, Oleksiy Sobolev, Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture, responded to criticism regarding the financial viability of programs such as “National Cashback,” free travel on Ukrzaliznytsia, subsidized rail fares, and fuel cashback. 

The minister explained the economic rationale behind the government’s decisions:

• Fuel Cashback: The program, which ended on May 31, cost the budget 1.5 billion hryvnias and helped effectively overcome the crisis. An alternative measure practiced by other countries (reducing excise taxes) would have cost Ukraine several times more.

• Railway tariffs: Ukrainian businesses are currently operating under wartime conditions with low profit margins, so they are objectively not ready to pay full market rates for freight transportation.

Citing World Bank data, Sobolev noted that while the wages of working Ukrainians are currently rising faster than inflation, unemployed citizens and people in difficult life circumstances are becoming poorer. During the war, they have no other effective means of protection besides direct support from the state budget.

At the same time, the Cabinet of Ministers plans to optimize the winter support program. Its format will be revised, shifting the main focus from purely social payments to practical economic tools—in particular, providing targeted assistance for purchasing generators and preparing for the cold weather.

Sobolev mentioned this in a comment to Forbes.

National Cashback 2025–2026: What Has Changed and Where You Can Spend the Money.

The total amount of “National Cashback” payments is approximately ₴8 billion.