Ukraine to spend five percent of 2015 budget on defence and security

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko addresses the session of the Polish parliament in Warsaw, December 17, 2014. REUTERS/Slawomir Kaminski/Agencja Gazeta

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine plans to spend five percent of its budget or 86 billion hryvnia (3.5 billion pounds) on the army and on law enforcement in 2015 and to reintroduce compulsory military service, a top security official said on Saturday.

Pro-Russian separatism erupted in Ukraine's east in April, killing over 4,700 people. While violence has lessened in recent weeks, Kiev has said it must build up its military to counter any future threats in the east.