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Volodymyr Zelensky has suggested that Ukraine could adopt a contract-based military recruitment model similar to Russia’s, provided it receives additional financial support from European partners.
In an interview with the BBC, published on 23 February, the Ukrainian president said the transition from wartime mobilisation to voluntary contract service would require international funding.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion by Russia, Ukraine has operated under martial law, imposing compulsory mobilisation on men aged 25–60 and those aged 18 and above with prior military experience.
Despite these measures, Ukraine’s armed forces continue to face manpower shortages as the war drags on.
“When we talk about personnel, Europeans can help if — or when — we transition our army from mobilisation to contracts,” Zelensky said.
He added that Ukraine wants to develop a pay-based recruitment model similar to that used by Vladimir Putin’s government, which offers financial incentives for soldiers serving under contract.
However, Zelensky stressed that Ukraine currently lacks sufficient funding, adding, “We want this as well, but we do not have enough funds. This is where Europeans could help.”
The proposed program, which has yet to secure European financing, would make military service voluntary, allowing recruits to sign multi-year contracts, choose units, and access benefits such as signing bonuses, housing assistance, and relocation support, thereby enhancing recruitment flexibility.
Mobilised soldiers, by contrast, are assigned to units based on operational needs after completing training. During martial law, both mobilised personnel and contract soldiers generally cannot leave service until national demobilisation is declared. Analysts have compared the proposal to Russia’s current force sustainment model.
Although Moscow has not formally declared a nationwide mobilisation, it introduced year-round conscription in 2026, replacing seasonal draft cycles. Russian law prohibits conscripts from combat deployment, though Ukrainian and Western sources have repeatedly alleged that conscript casualties have occurred in the conflict. Russia has expanded contract recruitment, reportedly enlisting around 35,000 personnel per month and offering payments of up to $26,000 equivalent.
Following a renewed offensive launched in 2025, Russian forces concentrated operations in eastern Donetsk Oblast. Fighting also intensified in southern Zaporizhzhia Oblast and parts of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, where Russian troops reportedly penetrated the southern sector. In 2025, Russian forces occupied approximately 4,336 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory, according to the open-source mapping project DeepStateMap.
Zelensky reiterated that greater European military and financial assistance is essential for Ukraine’s long-term defence, aiming to inspire the audience to recognise their influence in shaping Ukraine’s future security. The interview is likely to add to ongoing debate in European capitals over the scale and structure of future support for Kyiv.
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