Ukraine will spend more than 30% of its GDP on defense in 2025. This is the highest figure in the world

Following the amendments to the state budget for 2025, Ukraine's defense and security spending will reach UAH 2.6 trillion. About this said people's deputy Roksolana Podlasa.

This year, Ukraine's defense spending will reach 31.1% of the projected GDP, making our country the world's leader in terms of the share of spending on this sector of the economy.

For comparison, Israel, which ranks second in the world in terms of defense budget, spends 8.8% of its GDP on this sector.

Despite the fact that Israel's economy is much larger, Ukraine spent about $20 billion more on defense in 2024 than Israel.

In the first half of 2025, the defense and security sector absorbed 62.5% of expenditures of the general budget fund. After the amendments, this share will amount to 59%, and together with the expenditures of all funds, it will make up 66% of the state budget.

At the same time, Ukraine mobilizes all defense resources independently from its own revenues and domestic borrowings.

Almost all international financial assistance is currently directed only to cover social and civilian needs. The only exception is the United Kingdom, which allows part of its aid to be used for the defense sector.

Pidlasa emphasized that such a restriction on the part of partners looks questionable against the backdrop of Russia's military budget, which is estimated to reach $140-150 billion a year.

• On July 16, the Verkhovna Rada adopted in the first reading draft law No. 13439-3 with amendments to the state budget. The draft law provides for increase spending on defense and security sector totaling more than UAH 400 billion.