Ukraine Approves 2023 Budget With Aim For "Victory Against Russia"

Yaroslav Zheleznyak, the first deputy chairman of parliament's finance, tax and customs policy committee, said on the Telegram messaging app that 295 lawmakers had voted for the budget and none had opposed it.

Ukraine's parliament approved the 2023 draft budget with a "record deficit" of $38 billion, a senior parliamentarian said today, describing it as a "budget for victory" against Russia.

Yaroslav Zheleznyak, the first deputy chairman of parliament's finance, tax and customs policy committee, said on the Telegram messaging app that 295 lawmakers had voted for the budget and none had opposed it.

Zheleznyak did not immediately provide any other details of the budget, approved as Ukraine battles Russian forces that invaded the country on Feb. 24.

His committee has said the budget deficit will stand at 20.6% of Gross Domestic Product, that GDP could grow by 3.2 percent in 2023 and inflation could be 28% next year.