The Ukrainian 2016 national budget will increase defense expenditures, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said.

"No matter how difficult it is, we will have to increase the defense spending in the 2016 budget," Poroshenko said in his annual address to the Verkhovna Rada on Thursday, adding that "the threat of large-scale military activities in Donbas still exists."

In particular, the reshuffling of the top commanding staff of the Ukrainian armed forces will be continued, he said.