Funding for the Armed Forces of Ukraine Is at Risk of Being Delayed: Parliament to Hold an Extraordinary Session
16 June 23:54
The Verkhovna Rada is set to convene for an extraordinary session on Thursday, June 18, to unblock the bill on military funding. The bill concerns an increase in spending on the security and defense sectors. Davyd Arakhamia, head of the “Servant of the People” faction, announced the session, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
According to him, parliament will convene at the request of Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
Why is the Rada convening an extraordinary session?
The extraordinary session is necessary to unblock the bill on military funding.
According to the leader of the Servant of the People faction, Bill No. 15224—which amends the 2026 state budget regarding funding for the security and defense sector—was blocked by the European Solidarity faction.
Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov appealed to Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk with a request to convene the session.
In Fedorov’s appeal to Verkhovna Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk, it was noted that the opposition had registered seven motions to annul the results of the vote.
Fedorov noted that delaying the law’s entry into force could lead to a delay in receiving financial assistance from the European Union.
Due to these technical procedures, Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy do not have the legal right to sign the law so that the funds can finally reach the military.
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What the bill provides for
On June 10, parliament approved amendments to the budget totaling 2.29 trillion hryvnias. The key change is an increase in funding for the security and defense sector by 1 trillion 560 billion hryvnias.
These funds are to be allocated to meet the needs of the military and the security sector amid a full-scale war.
As a result, Ukraine’s total defense spending has reached a record 4.4 trillion hryvnias.
The bulk of these funds—2.3 trillion hryvnias—is earmarked for the procurement of weapons and military equipment, while over 1.45 trillion hryvnias will go toward the pay of military personnel.
Financial assistance from the European Union has become the main source of funding.
At the same time, the document sparked political controversy, particularly regarding the allocation of expenditures and certain provisions concerning military pay.
The Opposition’s Position
Opposition factions criticized certain provisions of the bill even during its consideration.
The “European Solidarity” faction insisted that pay raises for personnel of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, and the Foreign Intelligence Service should apply only to those directly participating in combat operations.
The faction also demanded that 40 billion hryvnias be returned to the army for air defense and initiated an emergency parliamentary session on this issue.
Why This Bill Is Important for Military Funding
Funding for the security and defense sector remains the top priority of the state budget during wartime. A delay in the relevant law taking effect could affect not only domestic spending but also the timeline for receiving foreign aid.
That is precisely why the government and the parliamentary majority are insisting on the document’s swift approval.
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