Ukraine will spend a record 4.4 trillion hryvnias ($98 billion) on defense and security in 2026 after President Volodymyr Zelensky signed legislation on Monday boosting military expenditures by 1.56 trillion hryvnias ($34.7 billion).
The increase, approved by parliament on June 10, is largely backed by the European Union’s Ukraine Support Loan (USL) program, which will provide Kyiv with €90 billion in financing over 2026-2027.
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Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said 2.3 trillion hryvnias ($51 billion) will be allocated for weapons and military equipment purchases, while more than 1.45 trillion hryvnias ($32 billion) will go toward pay and benefits for service members.
The new spending plan marks a 63% increase from last year’s defense budget of $61.4 billion and significantly exceeds the $64 billion initially earmarked for security and defense in the 2026 budget.
The move narrows the gap with Russia’s military spending. According to Janis Kluge of Germany’s Institute for International and Security Affairs, Moscow spent a record 5.9 trillion rubles ($83 billion) on defense in the first quarter of 2026 alone. Russia’s full-year military budget stands at about 12.9 trillion rubles ($182 billion).
Under the revised budget, Ukraine’s defense spending will amount to roughly 55% of Russia’s, compared with about one-third previously.
The legislation also channels revenue from military levies and import duties on military and dual-use goods to the Defense Ministry to fund weapons procurement, modernization and repairs, while supporting the expansion of Ukraine’s domestic defense industry.
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