Start of the budget process in the Rada: what is known about the State Budget-2026
Kyiv • UNN
On October 21, the Verkhovna Rada will begin considering amendments to the draft law on the State Budget-2026, and on October 22, it is expected to adopt it as a basis. General fund revenues are projected at UAH 2.8 trillion, with a priority on defense and security.
On October 21, the Verkhovna Rada will begin considering amendments to the draft State Budget for 2026, and on October 22, the Verkhovna Rada is to adopt the budget as a basis with the recommendations of the deputies. Last week, the budget committee recommended the draft State Budget for 2026 for the first reading. UNN reports on the main indicators of the country's main estimate, as well as how many amendments the deputies plan to consider.
Key indicators of the State Budget-2026
Revenues of the general fund of the state budget for 2026 are projected at 2 trillion 826.5 billion hryvnias (excluding grants and other international aid), which is 446.8 billion hryvnias more than the 2025 figure, taking into account changes.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko indicated that the need for external financing would amount to UAH 2 trillion 79 billion.
The main priority of the State Budget-2026 is defense and security, for which it is planned to allocate UAH 2,805.8 billion, 27.2% of GDP (+UAH 168.6 billion to 2025 with changes), namely:
- UAH 2,355.4 billion – general fund funds;
- UAH 220.4 billion – special fund funds, including UAH 125.3 billion from military personal income tax;
- UAH 200 billion – reserve (UAH 140.0 billion – general fund, UAH 60.0 billion – special fund);
- UAH 30 billion – state guarantees.
Roksolana Pidlasa, Head of the Budget Committee, published the key changes that the committee proposes the Cabinet of Ministers to introduce into the draft State Budget (in the format of the Verkhovna Rada's Budget Conclusions):
- in the field of defense: - consider the possibility of increasing defense expenditures, in particular, for weapons for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, for providing the "Alpha" unit of the SBU and the Foreign Intelligence Service;
- in the field of education: - develop a new model of remuneration for secondary school teachers so that teachers actually feel a 50% increase, - take measures to increase the level of remuneration for pedagogical and scientific-pedagogical workers of higher education institutions by 50% from January 1, 2026 (gradually throughout the year), - allocate UAH 500 million to provide material and technical base for relocated higher education institutions from frontline territories;
- in the field of healthcare: - consider the possibility of providing additional funds for the purchase of medicines for patients with achondroplasia and autoimmune diseases of the nervous system and neuromuscular diseases (in addition to UAH 15.1 billion already included in the budget project), - designate the Ministry of Health as responsible for all public investment projects in the field of healthcare, transferring funds for the implementation of such projects from the State Administration of Affairs and the National Academy of Medical Sciences, and also increase funds for such projects by UAH 500 million;
- for local budgets: - when calculating horizontal equalization indicators for 2026, use the number of the community's available population according to the State Statistics Service, and the number of IDPs according to the Ministry of Social Policy, - work out the issue of repaying the difference in tariffs, - consider the possibility of crediting 4% of personal income tax (excluding military personal income tax) to community budgets;
- in the social sphere: - the government to submit a draft law on special pensions (to establish unified approaches to retirement and indexation of pensions for such persons on general terms), - increase expenditures for housing for IDPs;
- to support business: - at least UAH 2 billion additionally to be allocated for humanitarian demining of agricultural lands, - provide UAH 1 billion for a new direction of support - for partial compensation of property losses of businesses due to the war, - consider the possibility of providing additional funds for grants to entrepreneurs for the construction of vegetable and potato storage facilities, for grants to veterans for starting their own business, for partial compensation of agricultural machinery, as well as additional funds to support agricultural producers.
After the recommendation of the relevant committee, people's deputies officially submitted proposals before the adoption of the State Budget for 2026, which, in particular, provide for measures to increase salaries for military personnel and teachers, as well as to provide funds for demining, as well as for the reconstruction of a hospital in Kharkiv region.
According to the proposals, when preparing the State Budget for 2026 for the second reading, it is proposed to take into account the following changes, in particular:
- provide UAH 2 billion for compensation of expenses for humanitarian demining of agricultural lands;
- take measures to increase salaries for pedagogical and scientific-pedagogical workers of higher education institutions by 50% from January 1, 2026, gradually throughout the year.
Risks in the State Budget-2026
In September, the Accounting Chamber stated that the total amount of revenues provided for in the draft State Budget 2026 is UAH 5.45 trillion. This is 8.8% more than approved for 2025. The Accounting Chamber also pointed out a number of risks in it, in particular, related to the large percentage (40%) of aid receipts from partners, which may cease if the international situation changes.
In addition, the Accounting Chamber noted that there is a risk of a shortage of planned funds to cover all important needs in the field of defense and security.
In September, MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak emphasized that the State Budget for 2026 provides more funds for various payments than for military salaries. In particular, this refers to the "National Cashback" and the "National Telethon."
It (State Budget-2026 – ed.) provides less money for defense than is currently needed…..The government, of course, says that this is not the case, but forgets that there is already an additional gap of 300 billion. Without specifying that 1.143 trillion UAH was provided for monetary support and other payments to military personnel. Which is as much as 17.15 billion UAH more than this year. Where, I remind you, the gap is already 300 billion, than in 2025. 678.12 billion UAH was allocated for the purchase and repair of military equipment and ammunition, which is generally 4.65 billion UAH less than provided for in the State Budget-2025
UAH 1.5 billion has been allocated for the financing of the "United News" marathon, and another UAH 78.2 million for the "Rada" TV channel.
UAH 4 billion will also be allocated for the creation of 1000 hours of Ukrainian content.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the Cabinet of Ministers with this initiative to create 1000 hours of Ukrainian content and allocate funds for it.
Unmet defense needs in the State Budget-2025
Roksolana Pidlasa, Head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Budget, reported on October 2 that there is a need to increase state budget expenditures for defense in 2025 by approximately UAH 300 billion. According to her, the Ministry of Finance is preparing a draft law and will register it in early October.
On October 6, the Cabinet of Ministers approved amendments to the State Budget for 2025, increasing army expenditures by UAH 317 billion.