Government to increase defense budget for next year – Zahorodniuk

He stated this at a briefing as part of the international specialized exhibition Arms and Security-2019 in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

“There are media reports that defense budget has been reduced, that the budget for the Defense Ministry has been reduced. It is not true; moreover, it will be increased. This process [budgeting] will soon be completed, and I think everyone will be satisfied with the result,” the minister said.

On September 15, the Cabinet of Ministers submitted for the Verkhovna Rada’s consideration a draft state budget for 2020. In particular, the document envisages UAH 245.8 billion on the national security and defense, which is UAH 33.8 billion more than in 2019.

As reported, the international specialized exhibition Arms and Security-2019 opened in Kyiv. It will last from October 8 till October 11. Over 370 participants are taking part in the exhibition, 48 of them from 16 countries including the USA, Poland, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Belarus, Austria, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Croatia, Israel, China, and Kazakhstan.

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