Yulia Svyrydenko: Government has approved the draft 2026 State Budget and submitted it to the Verkhovna Rada for consideration

Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko announced that the Government had approved the draft State Budget of Ukraine for 2026 and was to submit it to the Verkhovna Rada for consideration. 

“Now, the entire Ukraine must either join the Armed Forces or work for the Armed Forces. This is also reflected in 2026 State Budget,” emphasized the Prime Minister.

The key parameters include: 

- Expenditures: UAH 4.8 trillion (+ UAH 415 billion compared to 2025); 

- Revenues: UAH 2.826 trillion (+UAH 446.8 billion, or +18.8% compared to 2025); 

- Deficit: Up to 18.4% of GDP (-3.9 percentage points compared to 2025); 

- External financing needs: UAH 2.079 trillion.

The main priorities are security and defense, as well as social resilience. 

“All domestic revenues and borrowings are channeled by the Government to the Armed Forces—military salaries, support for their families, strengthening air defense, and developing and producing domestic weapons, including drones,” emphasized the Prime Minister.

Key budget items:

Defense: UAH 2.8 trillion (27.2% of GDP) for defense (+UAH 168.6 billion compared to 2025). 

  - Weapons production: At least UAH 44.3 billion for Ukrainian ammunition, missiles, anti-missile defense, aviation, and armored vehicles. 

Education: UAH 265.4 billion (+UAH 66.5 billion compared to 2025). 

  - Increase in average salaries for educators by 50% in two stages: 30% from January 1, 2026, and 20% from September 1, 2026. 

  - Free meals for 4.4 million students in grades 1–11 nationwide starting October 1, 2026. 

  - Doubling scholarships for over 163,000 students starting September 1, 2026. 

Science: UAH 19.9 billion (+UAH 5.4 billion compared to 2025). 

  - Includes funding to support young scientists’ projects, top scientific institutions, establishment of defense research centers, and development projects commissioned by businesses. 

Healthcare: UAH 258 billion (+UAH 38 billion compared to 2025). 

  - Salary increases for primary and emergency care doctors (up to UAH 35,000) and medical workers in frontline regions, with increased funding for the medical guarantees program to UAH 191.6 billion (+UAH 16.1 billion compared to 2025). 

  - Free medications for citizens, particularly for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. 

  - 40+ Check-up: UAH 10 billion for a new targeted payment for citizens aged 40 and older to undergo comprehensive health screenings, prioritizing cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and mental health.

Pension Provision: UAH 1.027 trillion (+UAH 123.4 billion compared to 2025). 

  - Includes pension indexation. 

Social Sector: UAH 467.1 billion (+UAH 45.3 billion compared to 2025). 

  - Support for internally displaced persons (IDPs), assistance for people with disabilities and prosthetics, eYAsla (eNursery), and School Starter Package. 

  - New initiative: Funding for demographic development support measures—UAH 24.5 billion, including prenatal support, one-time payments for childbirth, and assistance for childcare up to 1 year. 

Veteran Policy and Social Integration: UAH 17.9 billion (+UAH 6.1 billion compared to 2025). 

  - Housing compensation for veterans with Group I and II disabilities, veteran support measures, veteran support specialists, and funding for veteran spaces. 

  - Additional UAH 0.8 billion for dental care for veterans. 

Regions: 

  - Total community revenues will amount to UAH 871.9 billion (+UAH 162.3 billion compared to 2025). 

  - Interbudget transfers to local budgets from the general fund of the state budget in 2026 will amount to UAH 289.3 billion.

Business Support: UAH 41.5 billion.

  - Affordable loans under the "5-7-9%" program, housing support for Ukrainians through the eOselia program, industrial parks, and other initiatives providing grants and support for Ukrainian manufacturers; continued support for the Brave1 program for defense technology developers. 

Agro-Industrial Complex: UAH 13.1 billion (+UAH 3.5 billion compared to 2025) 

  - Includes continuation of grant programs and interest rate compensation for agricultural producers under the "5-7-9%" program, UAH 200 million for state subsidies to agricultural producers to cover up to half the costs of constructing and reconstructing irrigation systems. 

Culture: UAH 15.8 billion (+UAH 4.7 billion compared to 2025) 

  - Includes support for creating content to strengthen national identity and promote national unity. 

  - Principle: Ukrainian content for Ukrainians and about Ukraine for the world. 

Public Investments for Ukraine’s Recovery and Modernization: UAH 45.9 billion (+UAH 12.4 billion compared to 2025). 

Yulia Svyrydenko: “I thank all ministries for their work on the budget, which takes into account the needs of our Defense and Security Forces, support for our veterans and their families, all necessary social payments, and expenditures that ensure Ukraine’s resilience during wartime.”