Ukraine Moves to Boost Defense Spending in Historic Budget Revision
A government representative in parliament, Taras Melnichuk, announced via Telegram that the Budget Commission has urged Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada to approve draft law 9105. The proposal would raise defense spending by 537.2 billion hryvnia, which is approximately 14.5 billion dollars at current exchange rates. This is a significant fiscal shift aimed at strengthening national security and military readiness.
The plan envisions diverting 518.2 billion hryvnia, equivalent to just over 14 billion dollars, toward the national security and defense sector. The majority of these funds are earmarked to provide monetary support for military personnel and their families, ensuring steadier pay and benefits as the defense effort expands.
Within the Budget Reserve Fund, 19 billion hryvnia is allocated to bolster fiscal buffers. Of this amount, at least 3 billion hryvnia will finance payments to families of martyred soldiers and police officers, while 2 billion hryvnia will be directed toward constructing city walls as part of security infrastructure. This allocation underscores the government’s emphasis on both immediate support for dependents and broader resilience measures for urban protection.
On March 12, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated that the government approved a bill intended to increase the country’s budget spending. He characterized the measure as the largest budget increase in Ukraine’s history, highlighting a deliberate emphasis on defense and security alongside other national priorities.
Following the cabinet’s decision, Shmyhal confirmed that the bill to raise budget spending would add 537 billion hryvnia to the fiscal plan. The move reflects a coordinated effort to align financial resources with strategic objectives and to signal parliamentary support for a robust defense posture during a period of heightened security considerations.