Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared that securing funding for the armed forces has become the 'biggest challenge' facing the country as the financial gap widens with soaring war costs, during the introduction of new Defense Minister Yevgen Kyrylenko.
In a video posted on his Telegram channel, Zelensky emphasized that the financial crisis poses a serious threat, particularly in the defense sector, and stressed the urgency of finding additional resources to continue funding military needs.
He added that the war costs have distinctly increased, with required resources growing larger and the financial deficit expanding, placing increased pressure on the Ukrainian government to secure new funding sources.
Zelensky's statements prioritize financial issues for the new defense minister, urging a comprehensive review of agreements with Western partners to assess current commitments and the level of support Kyiv can expect in the coming period.
The Ukrainian president also urged Kyrylenko to adopt a 'more humane approach' to organizational issues within the armed forces, focusing on military mobilization and troop rotation.
These issues present a growing internal challenge for Kyiv as the war persists, requiring additional forces while managing service periods and rest for soldiers deployed on the frontlines.
Zelensky has made enhancing air defense capabilities a top military priority before winter, amid fears of renewed large-scale attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
The Ukrainian president's warnings come at a time when Kyiv faces rising financial pressures due to massive military spending and continued reliance on foreign aid to fund a significant portion of its needs.
According to the Washington Post, Ukraine's budget deficit exceeds $40 billion, and Kyiv risks being unable to meet its financial obligations by October without additional funding from Western partners.
While the United States recently approved a new aid package worth $8 billion, Ukraine's needs make this funding insufficient on its own, particularly with the slow down in some European aid.
These circumstances push the Ukrainian government to look for internal resources alongside external aid, including increasing certain taxes and reducing non-defense spending to allocate more funds for the military.
Meanwhile, Kyiv continues to press its allies to expedite aid delivery, amid concerns that a funding shortfall may directly impact Ukrainian forces' readiness, ammunition supply, and air defense capabilities.
Zelensky's remarks highlight that Ukraine's challenge is no longer solely military but also involves funding a long and costly war, as state budget pressures mount along with those on Western partners who have borne much of Kyiv's support costs.
With winter approaching and defense needs expanding, the new defense minister faces a complex equation of securing funds, managing manpower, ensuring air defense, and maintaining the flow of Western aid— in a conflict Zelensky states is more costly than ever before.