The Verkhovna Rada approved the draft state budget of Ukraine for 2026, providing for a deficit of $47.5 billion.
257 deputies voted for the document, 37 parliamentarians opposed, and another 24 abstained.
The key priority of the budget for the next year was the defense sector, which accumulates more than half of all expenses. The social sphere, education and medicine received balanced but economical funding, while capital investments were significantly limited.
The growth in defense spending increased by 6%, reaching 2.8 trillion hryvnia (66.3 billion US dollars).
According to information about the 2026 budget, total spending next year ranges from 4.8 to 5 trillion hryvnia, which is by 9-10% more than in 2025.
The deficit remains critically high – 19.6% of GDP, or approximately 2.4 trillion hryvnia, and almost 40% of this gap is planned to be covered through external financial support.