Petro Poroshenko Criticizes Military Tax Usage During Speech in Verkhovna Rada

On April 7, during his address in the Verkhovna Rada, former Ukrainian President and head of the parliamentary faction 'European Solidarity,' Petro Poroshenko, delivered a passionate critique of the government's approach to the utilization of military tax funds. The politician emphasized to the deputies that the practice of using the money collected through this tax does not align with its stated objectives.

In his speech from the podium, Poroshenko used three words: 'f**king, checking, *baking,' which have become symbols of his criticism. He explained that these terms reflect the reality in which funds that were supposed to support the army are being misused. 'The problem is not with the law; the problem lies in how the state approaches decision-making. The issue is trust, because this law was initially proposed by my government during my term in office. But now you have been deceived because initially, the law was called a military tax, but it has been diverted to f**king, checking, *baking, and other populist nonsense,' Poroshenko stated.

The politician also reported that representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers and factions in the Rada have reached agreements regarding the targeted use of military tax funds. He emphasized that for the first time in seven years, a meeting took place between deputies from 'European Solidarity' and the government, during which both parties agreed to direct all revenues from the military tax to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This specifically includes increasing military salaries and procuring weapons.

Earlier on April 7, the Verkhovna Rada made a decision to extend the military tax for three years after the end of the war. This decision became part of a new financing program from the International Monetary Fund. A total of 257 deputies voted in favor of bill No. 15110.

According to the explanatory note for bill No. 15110, it provides for the continuation of the provisions regarding the payment of military tax that were introduced during the period of martial law in Ukraine. For individuals, the tax rate will be set at 5%, while for single tax payers in the 1st, 2nd, and 4th groups, it will be 10% based on one minimum wage as of the first day of the current month (in 2026, this will amount to 850 UAH). For single tax payers in the third group (individual entrepreneurs and legal entities), the rate will be 1% of income for the three years following the year in which martial law is lifted or canceled in Ukraine.