News
01.04.2010
Ukraine expects defense budget of 1.64 bln dollars in 2010
Ukraine's defense ministry said it has proposed a defense budget of 13 billion Hryvnias (about 1.64 billion U.S. dollars) for 2010, Defense Minister Mykhailo Yezhel said here on Tuesday.
"The Defense Ministry's initial request for 2010 budget was 19 billion Hryvnias, but this spending was cut to around 13 billion Hryvnias due to the country's current economic difficulties," Yezhel told a press briefing.
The budget is yet to be approved by the parliament.
"A certain amount of funds would be allocated for the Armed Forces through a special fund," Yezhel was quoted by the Interfax- Ukraine news agency as saying.
Yezhel noted that Ukrainian armed forces will this year take part in the NATO-led "Sea Breeze" military exercises.
Ukraine's defense budget for 2009 was about 1.6 billion U.S. dollars.
Xinhua
