Ukrainian armed forces: Defence expenditure and military reform

Abstract

As one of the largest military establishments in post‐Cold War Europe, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have increasingly become the topic of discussions at NATO, as well as in Ukraine's foreign bilateral relations. These talks have included the restructuring and downsizing of the armed forces’ establishment inherited from the Soviet‐era. Military reform has, until recently, confronted many serious obstacles. Some of these have been political, while others, such as the country's extreme financial uncertainty, are more resistant to rapid change. This article looks at the organisation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, examines the current military reform programme, and raises some of the more important problems associated with restructuring.