Science underfunded in Ukraine - deputy minister

MOSCOW. Dec 23 (Interfax) - Funding earmarked for science in Ukraine in 2026 has grown, but it is still much lower than required by the system, Ukrainian Deputy Education and Science Minister Denis Kurbatov said.

"It is more than this year, 41% more than this year, but is still far less than required by the system, because science accounts for around 0.4% of GDP in the country. We need to continue to grow in order to reach sustainable development," media outlets quoted Kurbatov as saying during the national telethon.

As reported, the 2026 budget earmarks UAH 298.8 billion for the Education and Science Ministry. Of this amount, UAH 19.9 billion will be spent on science, including nearly UAH 3 billion on core financing of universities and academic establishments, UAH 998 million on advanced research centers, UAH 100 million on a new contest for application developments in partnership with business, and UAH 300 million on competitive research.