Ukraine plans to revise its 2025 budget to increase funding for defence, according to lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak. The move comes as the war with Russia continues, driving higher demand for weapons, ammunition, and soldiers’ salaries.
Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko told parliament that more money must be allocated to the armed forces. Zhelezniak shared this update on the Telegram messaging app. For security reasons, Ukrainian parliamentary sessions are closed to the public and media.
Currently, Ukraine’s 2025 budget sets aside 2.23 trillion hryvnias ($53.7 billion), about 26% of the country’s GDP, for defence. The Ukrainian army faces a larger, better-equipped Russian force along a frontline stretching over 1,000 kilometers in a conflict now entering its fourth year.
Data from the finance ministry shows Ukraine spent 765 billion hryvnias ($18.4 billion) on defence in the first four months of 2025 alone. Officials are also exploring ways to increase domestic revenue, including efforts to reduce the shadow economy.
While most state revenue funds the military and domestic weapons production, Ukraine depends heavily on financial aid from Western allies to cover social and humanitarian costs. Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has received about $133 billion in international support.
Related topics:
