Rada adopts draft Budget 2026 in the first reading: what are the main indicators
22 October 2025 12:12
The Verkhovna Rada has supported the draft State Budget of Ukraine for 2026 in the first reading. 256 MPs voted in favor of the document. The budget was formed in the context of the war and provides for maximum concentration of resources on defense, while the government announces a planned return to raising social standards, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports, citing the broadcast of the meeting.
The Parliament adopted the conclusions and proposals of the Budget Committee(14000/P) to the government’s draft law No. 14000.
The day before, MPs considered amendments to the draft until 23:48. Parliamentarians broke a 19-year record for the number of amendments to the draft budget: 3339 amendments were submitted.
The MPs proposed to increase minimum wages, pensions, the subsistence level, and salaries for the military, doctors, and teachers.
However, as MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak (Holos) emphasized, the amendments voted by MPs “are only an instruction to the government. That is, it is not yet considered final, the government has to submit the final text in November.”
According to Roksolana Pidlasa, head of the Budget Committee, most of the MPs’ amendments were rejected because they did not contain funding sources.
The Parliamentary Budget Committee took into account only 63 amendments.
Top priorities of the budget for 2026
- Defense is a key area of funding. All tax revenues (approximately UAH 2.8 trillion) will be directed to the security and defense sector.
- Social standards are starting to rise after a two-year pause. The government has planned to increase the minimum wage, pensions, and the subsistence level.
- The economy is being developed with international support. Other expenditures (about UAH 2 trillion) will be financed mainly by foreign aid.
Key macroeconomic indicators of the budget
| Indicator | Planned for 2026 |
|---|---|
| State budget expenditures | uAH 4.8 trillion |
| State budget revenues | uAH 2.8 trillion |
| Deficit | uAH 2 trillion (to be covered by partners) |
| Dollar exchange rate | 45.7 UAH/USD |
| Average euro exchange rate | 49.4 UAH/euro |
| GDP growth | 2,4% |
| Inflation (year-on-year) | 9,9% |
| State debt | 106% of GDP |
What will change for citizens
Minimum wage
- From January 1, 2026: uAH 8647 per month, which is 8.1% more than in 2025.
Average salary
- It is expected to increase to UAH 30,032 (gross).
Salary increases for educators
- Teachers: 30% from January and 20% from September.
- University professors: the government was instructed to work out a similar increase of 50% during the year.
Subsistence minimum and minimum pension
Expected to increase by 9.9%:
| Category | Amount from January 1, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Children under 6 years old | 2817 UAH |
| Children 6-18 years old | 3512 UAH |
| Able-bodied persons | 3328 UAH |
| Persons who have lost their ability to work | 2595 UAH |
The minimum pension will also be increased in line with the new subsistence level.
Subsidies and benefits
- UAH 42.3 billion has been allocated for housing subsidies.
- The assistance will be provided to 2.7 million households.
- The amount of funding for benefits remains at the level of 2025.
What the army and the security forces will receive
All tax revenues are directed to defense.
MPs recommended that the government increase funding for:
- The Armed Forces and the Foreign Intelligence Service,
- the Alpha unit of the Security Service of Ukraine,
- armament programs,
- and military salaries.
Local budgets
- It is planned to return 64% of the personal income tax (PIT) to community budgets.
- This decision should strengthen the financial autonomy of local governments.
Business support and economic recovery
It is proposed to allocate funds for:
- humanitarian demining of agricultural land (UAH 2 billion),
- grants for businesses and veterans,
- compensation for losses of enterprises due to the war,
- development of the agricultural sector in the affected regions.
The possibility of importing electric vehicles without customs clearance has also been extended for another year.
When the State Budget 2026 will be adopted
Currently, the adopted amendments are instructions to the government, not final decisions.
The final text of the budget will be submitted for the second reading on November 18-20.
By this time, the government will have to review the MPs’ proposals and find sources of funding for the relevant changes.
It is expected that the document will be approved in its entirety by November 20. The figures may change significantly by the second reading.
