KYIV. Dec 8 (Interfax) - Secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Oleksandr Turchynov said that the build-up of weaponry of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, National Guard and all units in the security and defense sector is prioritized due to the military actions which continue in the country's east and the threat of conflict escalation.
"The Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council believes that proceeding from those threats which the country is really facing today, we cannot cut our spending on the defense and security sector," Turchynov said, following the awarding of medals and certificates to the military and volunteers, the press service of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council said.
This is why overall expenditures in the state budget on the security and defense sector should be 5% of GDP, as it is stipulated in the National Security and Defense Strategy and the Military Doctrine, he said.
"Certainly, this is a very serious resource amounting to around UAH 113 billion. We will not decrease our defense spending unless the Ukrainian territory, both in the east and in the south, is fully liberated," Turchynov said.