Independence Square in Kyiv. File photoMOSCOW, June 10Minister of Finance of Ukraine Serhiy Marchenko believes that it is necessary to return the level of taxes that was before the start of the Russian special operation, thereby the business will share the cost of the armed conflict with the state. «Our internal resources for optimizing costs are almost exhausted. The only way is to restore the economy, restore the payment of taxes. Everyone must pay taxes. We are not talking about increasing taxes or some strict conditions for their payment, we are talking about the fact that business should share the fair cost of the war together with the state,» Marchenko said at a meeting of the tax committee of the Verkhovna Rada. His words are quoted by the Ukrainian media. The minister also noted that budget revenues cover only a third of government spending. «The actual spending for May amounted to 250 billion hryvnia, half of which was for the war. The state also finances social spending and wages — that's all,» — he said. He asked the Rada to refrain from decisions on tax cuts in the future and «return the tax and customs regime that was in effect until February 23». terminated the agreement with Russia on the avoidance of double taxationRussia launched a military operation in Ukraine on 24 February. President Vladimir Putin called its goal «the protection of people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years.» For this, according to him, it is planned to carry out «demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine», to bring to justice all war criminals responsible for «bloody crimes against civilians» in Donbass. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces strike only at military infrastructure and Ukrainian troops and , on March 25, completed the main tasks of the first stage — significantly reduced the combat potential of Ukraine. The main goal in the Russian military department was called the liberation of Donbass.
