Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued the call for American volunteers to serve in his nation’s armed forces as the war with Russia nears the start of its third year.
In a statement, the leader said that “foreigners and stateless persons” are now eligible to enlist in the Ukrainian National Guard as of Wednesday.
It is not new that foreign fighters may come to the country’s defense. However, since the Russian invasion in Feb. 2022, those from other countries who wanted to join the fight typically became volunteer members of the International Legion.
Zelenskyy: Americans Can Now Join Ukraine’s National Guard https://t.co/eNl1c6djPp #OAN
— One America News (@OANN) February 23, 2024
Zelenskyy put out the call to any and all who want to assist his battle with Moscow. “Anyone who wants to join the defense of Ukraine, Europe, and the world can come and fight side by side with the Ukrainians.”
The president said that those wishing to join have to meet certain requirements, be legally allowed into the nation, and not have prior convictions.
Volunteers may be as young as 18.
The Ukraine National Guard is controlled by the Interior Ministry, and it is an integral part of the country’s defense against the Russian invasion.
The nation has suffered significant casualties in its two years of war with Russia. There are mixed reports on Ukraine’s losses, but it is obvious that Kyiv does not have the depth of population to recruit from compared with Russia.
Zelenskyy told reporters in December that the nation needed to mobilize up to 500,000 more servicemembers. He conceded, however, that drawing such a large number into the armed forces is “highly sensitive.”
Soon after that declaration, Ukraine’s parliament floated a proposal to lower the age of people who can be mobilized to 25 from its previous 27.
Both Russia and Ukraine report casualty figures for the other side but not their own. Western sources tend to urge caution for believing numbers emerging from Moscow or Kyiv.
Foreign fighters have traveled to Ukraine to participate since the earliest days of the war. Exact numbers are unknown, and it is very unlikely to be enough to sustain the military needs of the nation as the war drags on.
