KYIV, July 26 – The Ministry of Finance considers increasing the military levy as an option to finance growing defense spending compared to increasing the value-added tax (VAX), arguing its position by protecting vulnerable categories of the population.

"Increasing this tax [VAT] will automatically lead to an increase in prices for basic goods, in particular, medicines and basic food products: bread, milk, butter, etc. For vulnerable categories of citizens, for example, people of retirement age, even a slight increase in prices for basic food products can become a significant financial burden," the Ministry of Finance said in an explanation on its website on Friday.