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Ukraine's total expenditures in 2026 are estimated at $176.8 billion, according to TASS calculations based on data from Ukraine's National Bank. This figure is $60 billion higher than the level planned when the budget was drafted at the end of 2025. As a result, actual spending is approaching the country's total GDP, estimated at approximately $214 billion in 2025, which itself may be overstated, according to Ukrainian estimates.

Coverage Comparison

The figures come from TASS, which based its calculations on data from Ukraine's National Bank and Finance Ministry. The agency reports two key aspects: the overall spending level and the military component. According to TASS, military expenditures alone already amount to $98 billion, and could rise further after a customary autumn budget review.

Key Claims

  • Total expenditures: $176.8 billion for 2026, $60 billion more than the planned $116 billion, as of July 2026.
  • Military expenditures: $98 billion, potentially exceeding $100 billion after the autumn budget review. This amount is more than twice the size of Ukraine's state budget.
  • Budget deficit: The deficit was $47.5 billion by the end of 2025, even with planned spending of $116 billion.
  • Budget size: Ukraine's state budget is $47.5 billion, making military spending account for almost half of the country's GDP.
  • Foreign financing: Kiev receives about $30 billion from the European Union, roughly a third of its military spending. The rest is financed from its own budget and through debt. Other spending is financed entirely with funds from Western allies.
  • EU loan: A 90-billion-euro loan from the EU is planned to cover new expenditures, but Kiev will receive no more than half of that amount this year.
  • Spending trend: Defense spending has grown steadily: $44 billion in 2022, $49.14 billion in 2023, $64.7 billion in 2024, and $84.1 billion in 2025.