Ukrainian Minister of Economy and Environment Oleksandr Kravchenko announced that Ukraine is considering major changes to its National Cashback program in 2027.
Speaking in an interview with business publication Forbes Ukraine, Kravchenko stated that discussions are ongoing regarding the continuation of the state scheme into 2027, with any extension bringing substantial modifications.
If ministers decide to retain the initiative, it will be narrowed to focus specifically on product categories facing aggressive foreign imports, such as textiles and cheeses.
Kravchenko explained that the annual budget for the initiative could potentially be cut by 2.5 times, generating cost savings of up to 4 billion Ukrainian hryvnias.
Targeting state support for local goods
The minister also outlined plans for the Winter Support program, emphasizing that direct budget payouts must remain highly efficient and targeted. Because the national budget relies partly on financial contributions from international partners, Kravchenko stressed that government assistance must directly bolster domestic business.
He said that funds disbursed through Winter Support must be spent on Ukrainian products and services rather than general consumer purchasing, which risks fueling domestic inflation or encouraging foreign imports.
Kravchenko noted that sustaining economic growth during wartime is impossible without social resilience, describing public support as a key factor in keeping residents within the country and active in the legal labor market.
Parliament debates future cashback funding
The minister's comments follow disclosures from lawmakers that future funding for the initiative has been omitted from state financial planning. Ukrainian Member of Parliament Yaroslav Zheleznyak reported that the Cabinet of Ministers did not allocate any funds for the National Cashback program in its draft state budget for next year.
Zheleznyak added that Ukraine has spent more than 20 billion hryvnias on the scheme across its three years of operation.
Member of Parliament Roksolana Pidlasa, who heads the budget committee of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, confirmed that the draft budget for 2027 provides no financing for National Cashback. Pidlasa explained that state funds previously intended for the program will instead be directed toward funding pension payments.
Despite the budget uncertainty, the government previously extended the National Cashback scheme in May to remain active for the duration of martial law, capped at a final termination date of April 30, 2028.
