Ukrainian PM: Govt to apply to Verkhovna Rada, if Ukrainian Armed Forces require increased financing

MOSCOW. June 6 (Interfax) - If there is a need to increase spending on the Ukrainian Armed Forces' financing in the second half of the year, the Ukrainian government will request the Verkhovna Rada, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal said.

"If the Ukrainian Armed Forces need it in the second half of the year, then we will thoroughly take stock of all their calculations, verify them with the Finance Ministry and apply to the parliament," Ukrainian media outlets quoted Shmygal as saying during the hour of questions to the government at the Verkhovna Rada on Friday, answering a question as to whether the state budget would be revised in terms of increasing defense expenditures in 2025.

As reported, Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergei Marchenko said on June 5 that the government would shortly request the Verkhovna Rada to revise the 2025 state budget due to new needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

As reported, Ukraine's state budget had to be revised annually to increase spending and financing due to military needs. This year, when the state budget was adopted with revenue estimated at UAH 2.33 trillion, excluding grants and international aid, and expenditures estimated at UAH 3.93 trillion, there is a need to increase expenditures by UAH 400 billion to UAH 500 billion.

The external financing needs for next year's budget are also estimated at around $39 billion, of which about half has been confirmed so far.