Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has proposed allocating additional funds for military pay in its draft state budget for 2027, but has set the baseline salary for service members at 20,000 hryvnias.
People's Deputy Mykhailo Tsymbalyuk disclosed the details during an appearance on the Rada television channel, warning that keeping base pay at 20,000 hryvnias is unacceptable and currently under debate in parliament.
Tsymbalyuk said that although overall funding for military pay is projected to increase next year, it remains unclear whether the additional money will directly translate into higher payouts for mobilized personnel.
The lawmaker explained that the baseline figure is critical because future social payments and pensions for service members are calculated directly from it. He added that discussions are also underway with the Ministry of Defense regarding military service contracts, which offer higher pay but face immediate financial constraints.
Tsymbalyuk noted that there is already insufficient funding in the current budget to finance those contracts this year. However, he expressed confidence that the figures presented in the draft budget can still be modified, noting that government officials and the finance minister acknowledge the issue as parliamentary discussions continue.
Military contract funding and budget debate
The Cabinet of Ministers is the executive branch of the Ukrainian government, responsible for drafting the national budget before submitting it for legislative approval. Rada TV serves as the official broadcasting channel of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's unicameral parliament. Base pay forms the foundational component of military compensation in Ukraine, determining secondary benefits, allowances, and long-term pension entitlements for armed forces personnel.
Severe shortfalls threaten military salaries
The budget debate comes amid growing concern over severe funding shortfalls for the armed forces. Vadym Ivchenko, a People's Deputy from the Batkivshchyna parliamentary faction, stated that money in Ukraine's 2026 budget will not be enough to cover even two months of military salary payments.
Ivchenko said the only way to sustain continuous payouts is to accelerate the delivery of financial assistance from Ukraine's Western donor partners. Batkivshchyna, known as the All-Ukrainian Union Fatherland, is a major political party in the Rada.
Head of Government Serhiy Koretskyi described the state of Ukraine's public finances as close to critical. Koretskyi stated that the government has already implemented strict austerity measures, and the Cabinet of Ministers plans to save 70 billion hryvnias to redirect directly into funding the Defense Forces.
