I held a meeting with Prime Minister Shmyhal and Minister of Finance Marchenko on next year's…

I held a meeting with Prime Minister Shmyhal and Minister of Finance Marchenko on next year's budget. I outlined the key parameters – what should be prioritized in the state budget.

The key is to protect our state and people. Defense and security are the first priority, and the funding for defense and security will be at least at the level of this year.

Next year, we will add significant budget funds for the defense industry – for the production of weapons in Ukraine. And for the drones. Both for the purchase of what is needed abroad and for the Ukrainian production.

A separate budget priority is to support our veterans.
We also keep social expenditures as a priority. There will be a plus for the education system, primarily to support teachers and lecturers.

We are investing the necessary funds in digitalization, including our Mriia, a new tool for children, parents, and teachers that we have already presented in advance.

Of course, there will be a significant indexation of pensions – we plan to do it in March, as required by law.

But, in addition to all this, we place a very important economic emphasis in the budget. We are adding incentives for the economy – production, jobs, investments. All the things needed to help Ukraine recover faster.

I instructed the Prime Minister to prepare the basis for raising the minimum wage in Ukraine in the first half of next year.

Absolutely all elements of state work must be adjusted so that we can determine the timing of the end of this war here in Ukraine ourselves. With our victory. Our weapons that will reach all the goals necessary for Ukraine. Our economy that will be able to provide Ukrainians with the jobs they need. Social functions of the state that must be fulfilled. State functionality, especially digital functionality, which must become more advanced than anywhere else in Europe. All these are our tools to bring Ukraine's victory closer.