#Defense Budget

According to Bloomberg, the Kremlin no longer expects Trump to force Kyiv to sign peace on Russian terms. Moscow is increasing its defense budget to $200 billion and preparing for a protracted war.

South Korea intends to allocate about 56.5 billion won (≈$40 million) in the 2027 defense budget for the development of semiconductor components for weapons to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.

President Zelensky confirmed a defense budget deficit of 16 billion dollars, outlining a plan to cover 4 billion in short-term needs and secure 12 billion in credit by the end of 2026.

The Ukrainian government has allocated 50.1 billion UAH for military payments in October. Funds were reallocated from defense sector reserves to ensure timely distribution.

Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi announced a plan to cover $7 billion of the $27 billion defense budget deficit through internal optimization, stressing the need for 2027 funding.

Prime Minister Koretskyi stated that Ukraine risks losing a significant portion of $29.5 billion in international aid if the Rada fails to adopt key bills within the deadlines set by the government.

According to an estimate by the head of the Verkhovna Rada budget committee, in 2026 one day of war costs Ukraine $190 million in its own expenditures, excluding aid from allies. Over eight months, about $42 billion was spent on defense, while own resources amounted to only $39 billion.

German Chancellor's advisor Günther Zautter stated at the YES meeting in Kyiv that Germany is ready to cover the growth in Ukraine's defense spending and called on allies to join in supporting Kyiv.

Turkish Vice President Yılmaz announced a 229% increase in defense spending for 2027–2029 and the expansion of the 'Steel Dome' naval air defense. Ankara is also discussing the format of a Drone Deal with Kyiv.

In its defense budget request for fiscal year 2027, Japan has for the first time separately highlighted the development of a hypersonic missile for underwater launch. Tokyo is considering both ballistic and cruise variants and is simultaneously discussing nuclear-powered submarines.

Ukraine's Ministry of Defense has completed a record centralized purchase of 5,000 new pickup trucks for the Defense Forces, saving over 2 billion hryvnia. The first vehicles are expected as early as autumn, with the entire batch to be delivered by the end of the year.

On 1 September, the Verkhovna Rada for the second time failed to gather enough votes to scrap the duty-free threshold on parcels under €150: 194 out of the required 226 voted in favour. Prime Minister Haidai linked the failure to the risk to 30 billion dollars of aid.

Ukraine is seeking $27 billion to cover the Ministry of Defense budget deficit. Kyiv is considering three scenarios — from front-loading part of the EU loan to assistance from Britain, Canada, and Japan — and must resolve the issue by the end of September.

Ukraine's Ministry of Defense budget has a $27 billion deficit, according to Zelensky. We break down three scenarios to cover it: front-loading of the EU loan, partner assistance, and domestic borrowing.

At the Ukraine – "Nordic-Baltic Eight" summit, Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Kyiv urgently needs around $27–30 billion: $8–10 billion right now for weapons and protection, plus another $20 billion for the army's immediate needs.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported a $27 billion defense budget deficit caused by the early use of second-half funds for drone production.

Zelensky named ballistics and defense funding as two global problems for Ukraine, pointing to a Ministry of Defense budget deficit of 27 billion dollars and the expected 30 billion euros from the EU.

Prime Minister Koretsky stated in the Verkhovna Rada that the Ministry of Finance has received an instruction to accelerate the sale of Sense Bank, but first, jointly with the NBU, must resolve accumulated problems. Proceeds from the deal will go to the needs of the Defense Forces, and a new head of "Naftogaz" will be selected through a transparent competition after the heating season.