In his daily social media address, Zelensky announced the upcoming approval of seven draft laws, the content of which he did not disclose, but assured that 'each of them is necessary to finance the state budget deficit.'
He stated that 'some measures may be difficult, unpleasant, and unpopular. But at this moment, without them, it is impossible to fully meet the needs of our defense and ensure Ukraine's stability.'
The President of Ukraine added a request for all citizens of the country to show the same effectiveness in the interests of Ukraine. Ukraine, which largely depends on financial assistance from Western allies to contain the war against Russia and finance its expenses, is facing a deteriorating economic situation.
Due to months of escalation of long-range attacks from Moscow, which led to the premature use of resources planned for the second half of 2026 already in the first half of 2026, a budget deficit of 23 billion euros has arisen. Russian attacks have seriously hit the metallurgical sector and agricultural exports, which are vital for the Ukrainian economy.
According to Roxolana Pidlas, Chairwoman of the Parliament of Ukraine's Budget Committee, every day of war costs the country $190 million (about 165 million euros), and the country cannot cover these expenses independently.
Earlier, in August, Zelensky guaranteed European leaders gathered in Kyiv that his country 'needs more money, much more.'
Europeans previously agreed at the end of 2025 to provide Ukraine with a loan of 90 billion euros for 2026 and 2027 to cover both military and civilian budget deficits in Ukraine. According to data from the German Kiel Institute, since 2022, Ukraine has received over 230 billion euros from European countries and 115 billion from the United States, and is expected to receive another 160 billion in the future.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, justifying it by the protection of pro-Russian separatist minorities in the east and the 'denazification' of the neighboring country, independent since 1991 after the collapse of the former Soviet Union, which is moving away from Moscow's sphere of influence and closer to Europe and the West.
On the diplomatic front, Russia continues to reject any lasting ceasefire and demands that Ukraine hand over at least four regions—Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, as well as the Crimean Peninsula annexed in 2014—and permanently renounce NATO membership (the North Atlantic military bloc).