**Russia Commits to Record Military Expenditure**
The Russian government has approved a record budget for 2025, with 32.5% of the national funds allocated to military expenditures. This is approximately 13.5 trillion rubles or $126 billion.
**War in Ukraine Continues**
This decision comes as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues, making it Europe’s largest military conflict since World War II. The war has been ongoing since February 2022.
**European Leaders Show Support for Ukraine**
Just as the Russian budget was approved, European leaders visited Kyiv to show their support for Ukraine. They reaffirmed their commitment to helping Ukraine during this difficult time.
**Increased Military Spending**
The new budget is a significant increase from the current year’s military allocation of 28.3%. This shows that Russia remains committed to funding its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
**War Effort Drains Resources**
Both sides in the conflict have been drained of resources, with Kyiv receiving billions of dollars in aid from Western allies. However, Russia’s forces remain larger and more powerful, allowing them to gain ground in eastern Ukraine in recent months.
**Russian Officials Justify Increased Spending**
Russian officials say they need the increased military spending because of provocations from Ukraine, which has been using advanced weapons provided by the US and UK.