Military Expenditure in Ukraine, 1960-2022

Ukraine's military expenditure saw drastic changes after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Early data from the 1990s shows minimal military spending, with figures as low as 0.3% of GDP in 1992, a period of rebuilding and navigating its post-Soviet independence. Military spending gradually increased in the late 1990s and early 2000s, reaching about 2.0-2.4% of GDP, reflecting Ukraine's growing defense needs and the gradual modernization of its military forces. However, it was in the 2010s that the defense budget truly began to rise, due to growing security concerns with Russia and the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The 2014 Crimean crisis marked a turning point, with military expenditure soaring to 2.2% in 2014 and further accelerating in the years that followed. The significant spike in 2022, with military expenditure reaching an unprecedented 33.5% of GDP, is primarily a result of the ongoing conflict with Russia, marking a historical increase as Ukraine dramatically boosted its defense capabilities in response to the war. This unprecedented rise in military spending highlights the financial and strategic prioritization of defense during the war and the country’s shift from post-Soviet military structures to a more Western-oriented defense posture.