Ukraine will increase military wages and expand recruitment of foreign volunteers, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Friday, as the armed forces face a critical personnel shortage after more than four years of war with Russia.
Speaking in his daily address following a meeting with senior cabinet ministers, Zelenskyy said the government had agreed on measures to strengthen the military's financial resilience and accelerate its transformation.
“The cabinet of ministers will approve a specific mechanism, and the government should start the first new payments as early as June,” Zelenskyy said.
Basic military salaries will rise by one-third to 30,000 hryvnias ($700), bringing them into line with the country's average monthly wage, which has increased because of labour shortages and strong demand during the war.
Front-line infantry soldiers will see average monthly pay rise to 300,000 hryvnias (around $7,000), up from the previous range of 100,000 to 150,000 hryvnias. The government will also introduce fixed-term combat contracts of 10, 14 or 24 months.
Ukraine has secured a €90 billion loan from the European Union, allowing defence spending to reach a record 4.4 trillion hryvnias ($97 billion) in 2026.
The funds are expected to begin flowing this month, giving Kyiv the resources needed to implement the planned pay rises and military reforms.
In addition to raising salaries, Zelenskyy said Ukraine plans to expand the recruitment of foreign fighters.
“I have instructed to create significantly more opportunities to recruit foreign volunteers into the Ukrainian army, and there will be more recruitment channels in this regard,” he said.
Since the start of the war, an estimated 10,000 foreign volunteers from more than 70 countries have joined Ukraine's armed forces, according to Ukrainian military publications.
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