Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has approved a bill that significantly simplifies the legal status of foreign military personnel and stateless persons who have come to defend the country. This was announced on August 29, 2026, by Prime Minister Serhiy Korytskyy in his Telegram channel, reports RBC-Ukraine. The initiative is aimed at strengthening the legal protection of those who risk their lives for Ukraine and provides a number of specific guarantees for foreign fighters after the completion of their service.
Key change: doubling the temporary residence period
The central element of the bill approved by the Cabinet of Ministers is the extension of the legal temporary residence period in Ukraine upon completion of a military contract. Previously, a foreign military personnel member or stateless person who had served their term had only three months to regularize their legal status; now this period is doubled to six months. According to Korytskyy, this will give fighters significantly more time to process the necessary documents, find housing and employment, or determine their further path in the country.
Expectations from parliament and the future of the initiative
The Prime Minister emphasized that the government expects prompt support for the bill from the Verkhovna Rada. "We expect the Verkhovna Rada to consider and approve the bill," Korytskyy stated, adding that the initiative is designed to strengthen the legal protection of those who risk their lives for Ukraine. Thus, after passing the government stage, the document moves into the parliamentary procedure, where it may be adopted in the proposed form or further refined.
Systemic context: what has already been done for foreign volunteers
The bill approved by the Cabinet of Ministers is not an isolated step. Ukraine is continuing systematic work to improve legislation and conditions for foreigners participating in the resistance to Russian aggression. In particular, in July 2026 the country opened the market for supporting foreign volunteers: unified and transparent rules were introduced for companies that recruit motivated fighters into the ranks of the Defense Forces. This legalized the activities of recruitment agencies and removed a number of administrative barriers that previously complicated the recruitment process.
Financial incentives and the role of professional recruiters
In parallel with legal reforms, the state has revised financial incentives for recruitment. Ukraine has increased payments for recruited foreign volunteers to the army to 300,000 hryvnia, entrusting the selection and training of fighters from abroad to professional recruitment companies. The combination of these measures — from doubling the legalization period to transparent rules for recruiters and increased financial incentives — forms a comprehensive system designed to make the stay and service of foreign fighters in Ukraine more predictable and legally protected.
