Zelensky signed the budget for 2026: 2.8 trillion for the army, salary growth and social benefits

Law on the State Budget for 2026

According to ХВИЛЯ: On December 10, 2023, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed the law on the state budget for 2026. The main goal of this budget is to support defense, protect citizens socially, and stimulate economic growth.

The projected gross domestic product (GDP) for 2026 is 10.31 trillion UAH. According to the budget, revenues amount to 2.92 trillion UAH, which is 446.8 billion UAH more than in 2025. The budget expenditures are set at 4.83 trillion UAH, with an increase of 134.5 billion UAH compared to the previous year. The budget deficit is expected to be 1.9 trillion UAH, which is 18.5% of GDP.

Key budget expenditures

Defense expenditures in 2026 will amount to 2.8 trillion UAH, which constitutes almost 60% of all budget expenditures. Of this amount, 1.3 trillion UAH is allocated for military salaries, and 709 billion UAH for armaments and military equipment.

• Education is allocated 273.9 billion UAH, which is 75 billion UAH more than in 2025.
• According to the budget, teachers' salaries will increase by 30% from January and by 20% from September, reaching 10,000 UAH.
• Planned expenditures for social support amount to 468.5 billion UAH, an increase of 47.6 billion UAH compared to 2025.
• The minimum wage will rise from 8000 to 8647 UAH, and the total subsistence minimum will increase from 2920 to 3209 UAH.
• The expected average salary for 2026 will be 30,032 UAH, and the inflation forecast is 9.9%.

It should also be noted that 258.6 billion UAH is allocated for the medical sector, and 72.6 billion UAH for internally displaced persons. 18.9 billion UAH is allocated for veterans' support programs. Local communities will receive 293 billion UAH. To finance the budget for 2026, it is necessary to attract over 45 billion dollars from international allies.

The adoption of the state budget for 2026 is of great importance for stabilizing Ukraine's economy in the context of war and the challenges facing the country.

Focusing significant resources on defense indicates a continued course on protecting national interests, while the planned increase in expenditures on social protection and education may contribute to improving the living standards of the population. Attracting international financial assistance is critically important for ensuring the implementation of the budget and supporting economic stability in the country.