Ukraine's PM announces major audit of Defense Ministry needs
Koretskyi said the move was necessary as the defense against Russia's full-scale invasion is becoming significantly more expensive.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi announced on September 1 that a comprehensive audit will be conducted of the Defense Ministry's requirements, with the resulting savings to be allocated to defense needs. In a speech to the Ukrainian parliament, Koretskyi revealed that the government is implementing stringent austerity measures on budget funds not designated for defense purposes.
The country has already identified savings amounting to Hr 70 billion ($1.75 billion), which will be directed towards the defense budget. This move is deemed necessary as the cost of defending against Russia's full-scale invasion continues to rise. Despite receiving a 90 billion euro ($105 billion) loan from the EU, Ukraine is estimated to be short by 45 billion euros ($53 billion) by the end of 2027.
The Kiel Institute, tracking support provided to Ukraine since the invasion began, reports a decline in contributions from international allies, even as the EU has significantly increased its aid. The loan, disbursed in stages until 2027, comes with conditions that may be unpopular for Ukraine to meet.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
