The EU Council announced on Saturday that it has agreed with the European Parliament on a €192.8 billion EU budget for 2026.
“Today’s agreement demonstrates that Europe is able to act even in challenging times. The EU budget for 2026 will allow us to realize our common priorities: security, competitiveness and border management – while ensuring that we can respond quickly and effectively to unforeseen needs and crises,” said Nicolai Wammen, Minister of Finance of the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU and the Council’s chief negotiator on the 2026 budget.
The total EU budget commitment for 2026 is €192.8 billion and total disbursements €190.1 billion. “Commitments are legally enforceable promises to spend money on activities whose implementation is spread over several financial years. Payments cover expenditure arising from commitments made under the EU budget in the current and previous financial years,” the council explains in a published communiqué.
This is the sixth annual budget of the EU’s long-term budget for 2021-2027. The 2026 budget is complemented by measures to support post COVID-19 recovery under the special NextGenerationEU program, the document notes.
Disbursements for EU defense and security in 2026 are planned at €2.25 billion. For migration and border management – 3.88 billion euros. For neighborhood policy and foreign policy – 16.56 billion euros. For the common market, innovation and digitalization – 23.33 billion euros.
Now the EU Council and the European Parliament must formally approve the agreement reached. The EU Council is expected to approve it on November 24. A qualified majority vote is required to pass the budget, according to the communiqué.
Tax, fee, and mandatory payment revenues to the general and special funds of the Ukrainian state budget for the first eight months of 2025 amounted to UAH 2.40 trillion, while cash expenditures amounted to UAH 3.23 trillion, which is approximately 24.2% and 23.7% higher than the corresponding figures for the first eight months of 2024.
According to operational data from the State Treasury Service, published by the Ministry of Finance on its website, general fund revenues increased by 20.4% to UAH 1.71 trillion, while expenditures increased by 19.4% to UAH 2.50 trillion.
At the same time, in August this year, state budget revenues decreased by 30.1% compared to August last year, to UAH 314.2 billion, including the general fund – by 37.3%, to UAH 242.9 billion. This is due to significantly lower grant revenues – UAH 44 billion in August 2025 compared to UAH 228.1 billion in August 2024.
It is noted that after raising the military tax from 1.5% to 5% and introducing a condition for reserving a salary of UAH 20,000 this year, personal income tax and military tax moved from fourth to second place in terms of revenues for the first eight months of this year – UAH 230.9 billion compared to UAH 134.5 billion last year.
In addition, the main revenues were provided by: VAT on goods imported into the customs territory of Ukraine – UAH 340.4 billion (UAH 302.1 billion for the first eight months of 2024), corporate income tax – UAH 211.6 billion (UAH 195.3 billion), VAT on goods produced in Ukraine – UAH 206.5 billion for reimbursement of UAH 116.1 billion (UAH 175.0 billion for reimbursement of UAH 95.8 billion), excise tax – UAH 186.3 billion (UAH 129.6 billion).
In addition, dividends and part of the net profit of state-owned companies amounted to UAH 64.2 billion (UAH 66.5 billion), import and export duties – UAH 34.7 billion (UAH 31.6 billion), rent payments for the use of subsoil resources – UAH 27.4 billion (UAH 32.7 billion).
The Ministry of Finance added that another UAH 84.2 billion (UAH 38.6 billion) was added to the budget from the National Bank’s profits, and grants amounted to UAH 254.9 billion (UAH 268.3 billion).
Revenues from the single social contribution to pension and social insurance funds in January-August 2025 increased by 22.3% to UAH 423.5 billion, including in August by 21.0% to UAH 54.1 billion.
The Ministry of Finance also reported that as part of the financing of the general fund of the state budget, state borrowings to it in January-August 2025 amounted to UAH 1.24 trillion, or 106.1% of the plan, including UAH 345.5 billion received on the domestic market from the placement of government bonds (UAH 318.4 billion for the first eight months of 2024), including UAH 78.0 billion in foreign currency – $1.24 billion and EUR 557.7 million. At the same time, UAH 152.5 billion was raised through the issuance of military government bonds.
According to the release, about $21.4 billion or UAH 889.8 billion came from external sources, including about $13.3 billion under the ERA, with the total volume of this mechanism reaching $50 billion.
In addition, Ukraine received another EUR6.14 billion from the EU as part of the Ukraine Facility preferential long-term loan, $0.96 billion from the IMF, and $0.26 billion from the World Bank for the projects “Transforming Health through Reform and Investment in Efficiency” (THRIVE), “Creating Resilient Infrastructure in Vulnerable Environments in Ukraine” (DRIVE), and “Modernization of the Social Support System for the Population of Ukraine.”
Payments on the repayment of public debt for January-August 2025 amounted to UAH 404.0 billion, or 94.8% of the plan, and payments on servicing amounted to UAH 233.3 billion, or 82.3% of the plan.
As reported, the 2025 state budget was approved with revenues of UAH 2 trillion 327.1 billion, including the general fund – UAH 2 trillion 133.3 billion (excluding grants and international assistance), and expenditures of UAH 3 trillion 929.1 billion, including the general fund – UAH 3 trillion 591.6 billion. At the end of July, the Verkhovna Rada, at the government’s proposal, increased this year’s budget expenditures by UAH 400.5 billion and revenues by UAH 147.5 billion.
In 2024, the state budget received UAH 3 trillion 120.5 billion in revenues, which is UAH 448 billion, or 16.8%, more than the 2023 state budget. The general fund’s revenue growth amounted to UAH 513.9 billion, or 30.9%, to UAH 2 trillion 177 billion, in particular, international financial assistance in the form of grants amounted to UAH 453.6 billion compared to UAH 433.9 billion in 2023.
State budget expenditures in 2024 increased by UAH 464.5 billion, or 11.6%, compared to 2023, to UAH 4 trillion 479.3 billion, in particular, under the general fund – by 15%, or UAH 454.5 billion – to UAH 3 trillion 488.8 billion.
The National Bank of Ukraine considers the issuance of military domestic bonds (OVDPs) to be the main and most effective instrument for covering the budget deficit in wartime. This was announced by First Deputy
Head of the NBU Serhiy Nikolaychuk in an interview with the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
According to him, high demand from banks and the population allows the Ministry of Finance to successfully place securities while maintaining macrofinancial stability. “OVDPs remain a safe and most transparent way to finance the state’s needs,” he said.
Taxes, fees, and mandatory payments to the general and special funds of Ukraine’s state budget for the first seven months of 2025 amounted to UAH 2.09 trillion, while cash expenditures amounted to UAH 2.78 trillion, which is approximately 41% and 24% higher than the corresponding figures for the first seven months of 2024.
According to operational data from the State Treasury Service published by the Ministry of Finance on its website on Tuesday, revenues to the general fund increased by 42% to UAH 1.47 trillion, while expenditures increased by 20% to UAH 2.17 trillion.
It is noted that after raising the military tax from 1.5% to 5% and introducing a condition for reserving salaries of UAH 20,000 this year, personal income tax and military tax came in second place in terms of revenues for the first seven months of this year, amounting to UAH 200.1 billion compared to UAH 117.0 billion last year.
In addition, the main revenues were provided by: VAT on goods imported into the customs territory of Ukraine – UAH 294.4 billion (from January to July 2024 – UAH 262.3 billion), VAT on goods produced in Ukraine – UAH 183.1 billion for reimbursement of UAH 101.5 billion (UAH 153.3 billion for reimbursement of UAH 83.6 billion), corporate income tax – UAH 160.5 billion (UAH 153.0 billion), excise tax – UAH 159.6 billion (UAH 109.7 billion).
In addition, dividends and part of the net profit of state-owned companies amounted to UAH 60.8 billion (UAH 64.6 billion), import and export duties – UAH 30.1 billion (UAH 27.6 billion), rent for the use of subsoil resources – UAH 22.0 billion (UAH 28.0 billion).
The Ministry of Finance added that another UAH 84.2 billion (UAH 38.6 billion) was added to the budget from the National Bank’s profits.
According to the information, the ERA mechanism launched by the G7 at the end of last year to use revenues from frozen Russian assets significantly increased grant international aid revenues to the budget – to UAH 210.9 billion compared to UAH 40.3 billion in the first seven months of 2024, although in July of both this and last year, these funds were not available.
Revenues from the single social contribution to pension and social insurance funds in January-July 2025 increased by 22.4% to UAH 369.4 billion, including in July by 20.4% to UAH 54.8 billion.
The Ministry of Finance also reported that as part of the financing of the general fund of the state budget, state borrowings to it in January-July 2025 amounted to UAH 998.0 billion (for 7 months of 2024 – UAH 873.2 billion), or 93.8% of the plan, including UAH 302.9 billion (UAH 279.2 billion) from the domestic market through the placement of government bonds, including UAH 61.8 billion in foreign currency – $853.8 million and EUR557.7 million. At the same time, UAH 140.3 billion was raised through the issuance of military government bonds.
According to the release, approximately $16.7 billion or UAH 695 billion (UAH 594 billion) was received from external sources, including approximately $12.1 billion under the ERA, out of the total amount of this mechanism of up to $50 billion.
In addition, Ukraine received another EUR3.1 billion from the EU under the Ukraine Facility preferential long-term loan, $0.96 billion from the IMF, and $0.26 billion from the World Bank for the projects “Transforming Health Care through Reform and Investments in Efficiency” (THRIVE), “Building Resilient Infrastructure in Vulnerable Environments in Ukraine” (DRIVE) and “Modernization of the Social Support System for the Population of Ukraine.”
Payments on public debt in January-July 2025 amounted to UAH 370.5 billion (UAH 259.1 billion), or 96.7% of the plan, and service payments amounted to UAH 198.5 billion, or 72.6% of the plan.
As reported, the 2025 state budget was approved with revenues of UAH 2 trillion 327.1 billion, including the general fund – UAH 2 trillion 133.3 billion (excluding grants and international assistance), and expenditures of 3 trillion 929.1 billion hryvnia, including the general fund – 3 trillion 591.6 billion hryvnia. Last week, the Verkhovna Rada, at the government’s proposal, increased this year’s budget expenditures by 400.5 billion hryvnia and revenues by 147.5 billion hryvnia.
In 2024, the state budget received UAH 3 trillion 120.5 billion in revenues, which is UAH 448 billion, or 16.8%, more than the 2023 state budget. The general fund’s revenue grew by 513.9 billion hryvnia, or 30.9%, to 2 trillion 177 billion hryvnia, including international financial assistance in the form of grants amounting to 453.6 billion hryvnia, compared to 433.9 billion hryvnia in 2023.
State budget expenditures in 2024 increased by UAH 464.5 billion, or 11.6%, compared to 2023, to UAH 4 trillion 479.3 billion, in particular, under the general fund – by 15%, or UAH 454.5 billion – to UAH 3 trillion 488.8 billion.
In accordance with the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers, Naftogaz of Ukraine transferred UAH 10.4 billion in dividends for 2024 and income tax to the state budget.
As the company reported on Tuesday, the rest of the profit, in accordance with the government’s order, will be used to prepare the country for winter, in particular to purchase imported gas.
“I would like to thank all employees for the result. Thanks to your conscientious work, Naftogaz remains a reliable partner of the state, fulfilling all obligations imposed by the Ukrainian government in a timely and complete manner,” said Serhiy Koretsky, chairman of the board of Naftogaz Ukraine, whose words are quoted in the statement.
As reported, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, by order No. 410-r of April 29, 2025, ordered to allocate 30% of the profits of Naftogaz of Ukraine to dividends in the state budget.
“To approve (…) consolidated profits in the amount of 37 billion 906 million 640.18 thousand hryvnias, according to the consolidated financial statements of Naftogaz of Ukraine for 2024, of which the profit attributable to the shareholder of Naftogaz of Ukraine amounts to 29 billion 421 million 763.674 thousand hryvnias (…)”, the document said, in particular.
According to the government decision, 30% of the specified profit of Naftogaz, amounting to UAH 8.826 billion, is subject to payment of dividends to the state budget. Another 70% (UAH 20.595 billion) was allocated by the Cabinet of Ministers for statutory purposes, in particular 45% of the profit belonging to the shareholder of Naftogaz of Ukraine, amounting to UAH 13.239 billion, for the purchase of imported natural gas and financing measures to prepare for the autumn-winter period of 2025/26.
The Verkhovna Rada, in its first reading, supported a bill that provides for changes to the 2025 state budget and an increase in funding for centralized procurement of medicines by 3.1 billion hryvnia.
According to the head of the parliamentary committee on health, medical care, and medical insurance, Mykhailo Radutsky, on Telegram, the additional funds are needed to purchase medicines for people with orphan diseases, viral hepatitis, HIV infection, tuberculosis, cancer, and other critical conditions.
Earlier it was reported that on July 1, the government supported a proposal to increase funding for the purchase of medicines from the state budget by UAH 3.1 billion, which is 36% of the additional need, while at the end of May, deputies registered in the Verkhovna Rada draft law No. 13308, which provides for the possibility of allocating additional funds for centralized medical purchases in the amount of UAH 8.624 billion from the reserve fund.
In total, the 2025 state budget provides for the allocation of UAH 11.8 billion for the purchase of medicines, while the Ministry of Health estimates that the need is UAH 19.8 billion. Thus, the planned funding covers only 59.4% of the need.
If funding is increased by UAH 3.1 billion, the need will be covered by 75%.
