Bills on transferring army to contract form to be introduced next year – Shmyhal
Minister of Defense of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal announced the introduction of legislative initiatives on transferring the Ukrainian army to a contract basis in 2026.
"On the instructions of the president, we have started such work. This concerns the reform of the army in general, transferring the army to a contract form of training, to a contract form of service. Accordingly, the contract model provides for the possibility of choosing both a position and a place of service. Contracts apply to everyone and are primarily aimed at active servicemen. Both active contract soldiers and active mobilized ones will have the right to conclude such contracts. The term of the contract is from one year, two, three, four, five years, that is, you can choose," Shmyhal said during a joint briefing with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday.
He said after signing a contract for two or more years of service, a deferment from mobilization during martial law will be granted for 12 months, but for a one-year contract there will be no such possibility.
"We do not have a one-year contract term in the law for people over 25 years of age. That is, for this, the legislation must be changed so that such an opportunity appears," the minister said.
According to Shmyhal, these documents are currently being worked on, and some of them are being approved. "As soon as they are ready, I think, at the beginning of next year it will be submitted, accordingly, for consideration and public attention," Shmyhal said.