Ukraine estimates that the war will cost $155 billion and faces a $27 billion funding shortfall for next year

The costs of the war for Ukraine will reach 155 billion dollars this year, while Kyiv must cover a funding gap of 27 billion dollars to sustain military operations at the beginning of next year, Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Korețki said on Wednesday, according to Reuters, cited by Agerpres.

The Ukrainian government intends to cover approximately 7 billion dollars of this gap through austerity measures, budget optimization, and the redirection of existing funds. For the remaining approximately 20 billion dollars, the authorities in Kyiv are negotiating financial support with international partners.

The estimate presented by the prime minister represents Ukraine’s first public assessment of the annual costs of the war. Thus, there is no comparable figure for 2025 that would allow a direct analysis of the evolution of military spending.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhii Marcenko has requested additional funds from the European Union amounting to 32.6 billion euros for next year. The European Commission announced that it would analyze the request amid the intensification of Russian attacks on Ukraine.