Finance minister Vardan Aramyan unveiled Armenia's draft budget for 2018 at a cabinet session on Thursday, September 28.

According to the document, defense expenses will amount to AMD246․8 billion next year, up from this year's AMD209,8 billion.

The expenditures will thus grow 17.6% in 2018 to amount to some $518 millionat current exchange rates.

The country's military budget had risen from AMD 208 billion in 2016 to AMD209.8 billion in 2017.