PM Shmyhal outlines five key areas of focus for Ukrainian government

He stated this during the “Ukraine. Year 2025” forum in Kyiv on Sunday, Ukrinform reports.

“The challenges of the fourth year of this full-scale Russian aggression are undoubtedly immense, but I am confident that together we will overcome them. The key task is to preserve unity within Ukrainian society. We already have unity within the government, which you can all see and feel. We are focused, concentrated, and united around our president, and of course, we will continue moving in this direction toward our victory. It is also important for us today to consolidate and unite our partners, so it’s crucial to engage in direct dialogue with our partners’ press, media, and societies that support Ukraine,” Shmyhal said.

The prime minister outlined five key areas in which the government continues to focus its efforts. He said the first area is strengthening Ukraine’s security and defense forces.

Shmyhal emphasized that every collected hryvnia in Ukraine is directed toward supporting the country’s defense. In 2024, Ukraine allocated UAH 2.1 trillion for defense, and in 2025, the amount will increase to UAH 2.2 trillion, which constitutes 26% of the country’s GDP. He also said that the country has seen a six-fold increase in its defense industry capabilities over the past two years, particularly in ammunition production and the manufacturing of Ukrainian military equipment, including artillery and drones.

Shmyhal said that social policy was the second area of focus for the Ukrainian government.

“Over the past three years, the government and the state have fulfilled all social obligations to the Ukrainian people. Most notably, UAH 730 billion was allocated for pension payments, and another UAH 180 billion was directed toward other social payments,” Shmyhal said.

He stressed that pension payments would remain unchanged for 2025, with a planned pension indexation on March 1. The government will also continue supporting internally displaced persons (IDPs), vulnerable families, and other groups in need. Furthermore, efforts are underway to implement basic social assistance and pension reforms to align Ukraine’s social standards with European norms.

The third area of focus is Ukraine’s rapid reconstruction, particularly in the energy sector and housing.

“We are working in three directions for energy restoration: we are restoring, decentralizing, and collaborating with partners to attract necessary equipment. Since the enemy continues its relentless energy terror, we have lost 10 GW of generating capacity, and we must compensate for this,” Shmyhal said.

He said that supporting the economy and domestic production was the fourth area. Shmyhal pointed out that the government is working to support Ukraine’s economy and local manufacturers, especially through the “Made in Ukraine” program. Additionally, the National Cashback Program has already involved five million people and over 2,000 manufacturers.

“Such programs are fostering a culture of supporting Ukrainian-made products,” he added.

The fifth area is cooperation with international partners to ensure Ukraine’s victory and resilience.

“Last year, we received $41.7 billion in support. This year, we plan to attract $38.4 billion, with confirmations already in place. We are working with the IMF, the European Commission on the Ukraine Facility plan, the World Bank, the [European] Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and other European financial institutions,” Shmyhal concluded.