Rada will support 2016 budget providing UAH 100 bln for security, defense - Klimkin

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin is confident the Verkhovna Rada will support the draft national budget for 2016 providing UAH 100 billion funding for the security and defense sector.

"The NATO member countries foresaw 2% of the budget for the sector. Now we have this figure in the range of 5%, but we are in the state of defeating Russian aggression. Therefore I think the parliament will support this. This is the issue of aid to those who protect us and we on our part cannot leave them without protection," the minister told Interfax-Ukraine in Brussels.

According to him, Ukraine continues setting up a real army, which requires significant funding.

"I am convinced that the parliament will support this because otherwise I cannot even imagine what kind of priorities we will have," Klimkin added.

According to the draft national budget of Ukraine for 2016, the text of which is posted on the website of the Ministry of Finance, spending on defense and security is provided in the amount of 4.4% of GDP.

"Some UAH 100 billion, or 4.4% of GDP," reads the document.