Ukraine's Supreme Rada passes bill enabling foreigners to serve in national Armed Forces

Today on May 12, the Parliament of Ukraine has passed in the first reading a bill that enables foreigners to serve in Ukraine’s Armed Forces. The bill was supported by 257 of the 226 minimum required votes.

To be approved finally, the bill is yet to be discussed in the second reading. An explanatory note to the bill says foreigners with military experiences began to arrive in the east of the country after voluntary special forces of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine and battalions were formed, and part of the foreigners participated and continue to participate in the military actions having no legal framework for it.

“The bill will allow the volunteers that do not want to be naturalized in Ukraine to make contracts with the Defense Ministry of Ukraine and fight in the east of the country,” says MP Dmitry Tymchuk.

The authors of the bill say hiring foreigners will reduce the need for mobilization of Ukraine’s citizens and spending on the participants in the military actions, disabled military, and the families of the killed servicemen. At the same time, Ukraine’s legislation does not envisage conscription of foreigners.