This is a budget of populism and bureaucratic comfort that robs the army: Poroshenko demands that half a trillion hryvnias of non-targeted expenses from the 2027 budget be transferred to the Armed Forces of Ukraine

All populist and corruption-related expenditure items should be removed from the draft State Budget for 2027. Instead, the released funds should be spent exclusively on defense and strengthening the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko said . According to him, the redistribution of non-targeted expenditures will allow at least half a trillion hryvnias to be additionally allocated to the army .

“Our demands are specific: at least 500 billion hryvnias of additional resources for the military, for the purchase of weapons, defense technologies; 30 percent of the military personal income tax money – directly to the brigades. Indexation of monetary support; protection of the energy sector and the economy; abolition of non-priority and propaganda expenses; fulfillment of European obligations and restoration of the trust of allies ,” Poroshenko notes.

“War is always based on three pillars: the front, the rear, and partners. If one weakens, the other two begin to crack under the double weight. Therefore, the state budget of a warring country should be a single plan for the strength of the front, rear, and international coalition,” Poroshenko believes.

“Our soldiers are holding their positions thanks to their courage, professionalism, and incredible inner strength. The Koretskyi government must finally do what the Shmyhal and Svyrydenko governments have failed to do for almost five years – put the economy on military rails. Instead, the budget again includes tens of billions for road programs, the preservation of dubious populist payments, financing television propaganda, and a significant increase in spending on the state apparatus and rear security forces,” the fifth President states.

“The government names the amount of almost 4 trillion 885 billion hryvnias for the security and defense sector. But the financial support of military personnel has been frozen again for the fifth year in a row,” Poroshenko says. According to him, due to inflation, the purchasing power of the defense budget is falling, and in the conditions of technological war, this means lagging behind. “Today, one year of delay in the production of drones, means of actively countering enemy technical intelligence, electronic warfare, robotic platforms and interception systems is no longer just a budgetary mistake. This is a technological advantage given to the enemy,” Poroshenko warns.

Poroshenko’s team demands to reduce the following expenses in the draft State Budget for 2027:

• populist distribution of “thousands” – a total of 35.4 billion UAH
• an attempt to return a large construction project – 40 billion 844 million UAH
• free railway for 3 thousand kilometers – 16 billion UAH
• Screening Program – UAH 10 billion
• Cashback and Investments – UAH 9.4 billion
• So-called Investment Projects – UAH 8.3 billion
• “Tysyachovsna” – 5.4 billion UAH
• Regional Development Fund – UAH 2 billion
• Propaganda Telethon – UAH 1.6 billion

Poroshenko also calls for canceling the increase in spending on officials, deputies, and backroom security forces, in particular:

• judges of all levels – 10 billion UAH
• Ministry of Digital Affairs – UAH 4 billion for the so-called e-government and the Innovation Fund
• Ministry of Justice – UAH 2 billion
• State Bank of Ukraine – UAH 0.691 billion
• Prosecutor General’s Office – 0.827 billion
• Verkhovna Rada – 800 million UAH
• State Administration of Affairs – UAH 0.251 billion (including UAH 0.11 billion for the Office of the President)
• Cabinet Secretariat 0.171 billion UAH

“Our demand is that the salaries of any state official, any rear security officer, regardless of the department where he serves, cannot be increased by a percentage that exceeds the percentage by which the financial support of military personnel increases. If you don’t give them a raise, you don’t have the right to give yourself a raise ,” says the opposition leader.

He also demands transparent use of reserve funds: ” 46 billion UAH from the Reserve Fund should be transferred to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. And the remaining 40 billion should be directed by the government exclusively to eliminate the consequences of military aggression, man-made disasters and natural disasters .”

“So, all this is over 500 billion, which we found and propose to the parliament to transfer to the army. The first is to finally index the monetary support of military personnel and provide all combat bonuses established by law . The second is to increase direct financing for the purchase of weapons, especially electronic warfare, PDTR, drones, interceptors, air defense, ammunition, deep strikes, middle strikes, ballistics ,” Poroshenko believes.

“Thirdly, change the distribution of the tax on the income of servicemen and transfer 30 percent directly to the brigades. This is the money that servicemen pay into the budget. And they have the right to primarily dispose of these funds. The commander should not have to wait months for basic equipment, and soldiers will no longer have to record a video after a combat mission with the words: “Help collect for drones, for pickup trucks.” Our Fund is already approaching 9 billion in assistance to servicemen, and I know exactly what we are talking about,” Petro Poroshenko notes.

He also called on the authorities to protect the rear and the country’s economy, which is collapsing under Russian strikes . “People are losing their jobs, and the country is losing foreign exchange earnings and taxes. The situation in the energy sector is especially dangerous on the eve of winter. The state must protect energy facilities, provide the economy with effective and inexpensive insurance against military risks, support exports, stop the pressure on business by force, and give defense enterprises long-term contracts,” Poroshenko believes. He also noted that the budget deficit does not give any reason to reduce pensions and social benefits .

“And finally, about international allies. Ukraine’s need for external support for 2027 is $52.6 billion. We depend on external financing at a time when the political situation in Europe is becoming more complicated day by day. Even traditional supporters of Ukraine are asking more and more questions about reforms, the rule of law, corruption, and the effectiveness of aid use. Trust is also a currency. Therefore, fulfilling obligations to the European Union is a component of Ukraine’s defense capability ,” Poroshenko emphasizes. “European Solidarity” demands the urgent adoption of bills from the Kachka-Kos list: rebooting the State Bureau of Investigation, adopting and implementing the Anti-Corruption Strategy, resuming competitions in the prosecutor’s office, strengthening the independence of the NABU and the SAPO, and adopting other decisions in the field of the rule of law .

” We do not support the budget of populism and bureaucratic comfort, which robs the army. But we are ready to work together professionally on the budget of strengthening and stability. In 2027, Ukraine must hold three lines: the front – by force of arms, the rear – by force of economy, and the union – by force of trust . Three lines. One budget. One goal – to stand firm and force Russia to stop the war. And we are definitely capable of doing this,” Petro Poroshenko is convinced.