Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine #1151 of September 17, 2026

Who is affected: foreigners and stateless persons considering contract military service in the National Guard of Ukraine; the National Guard of Ukraine and its military units; the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine; the Security Service of Ukraine; territorial recruitment and social support centers; the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Summary:

  • allows the National Guard of Ukraine to independently recruit foreigners and stateless persons for contract military service in enlisted, sergeant, senior sergeant, and officer positions;
  • provides for the establishment of a separate Center for the Recruitment of Foreigners and Stateless Persons of the National Guard of Ukraine (the Center): it is established by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, is subordinate to the main military command body of the National Guard, and is under the general direction of the Commander of the National Guard through the relevant deputy. The head of the Center is appointed in agreement with the Minister of Internal Affairs and dismissed by the Commander; the Center’s structure is approved by the Minister of Internal Affairs on the Commander’s proposal, and its staffing table by the Commander;
  • establishes a five-stage candidate selection procedure: submission of an application form and initial screening; an initial interview; primary and special vetting with the participation of the Security Service of Ukraine (including a polygraph test); a main interview with a declaration of good faith; and the Center’s conclusion on referral to a military unit. The candidate then undergoes a medical examination and, if found fit, is referred to sign a contract;
  • sets clear deadlines for individual stages of the procedure: special vetting — up to 15 days; notifying the candidate of the decision — 5 working days; information on travel arrangements from abroad — 5 days; notice of the polygraph test — at least one day in advance;
  • instructs the Center to search for candidates through social media and online platforms, conduct advertising and outreach campaigns in Ukraine and abroad, arrange documents, visas, and insurance, and cover candidates’ travel, accommodation, and meals;
  • finances the project within state budget expenditures for the National Guard and from other sources, without a separate cost estimate;
  • the project is experimental and will operate for the duration of martial law, but for no longer than two years.

What is right:

  • a one-stop-shop principle is introduced: the candidate is supported from the submission of the application form and the organization of travel from abroad through to signing the contract;
  • clear deadlines, multi-stage vetting with the participation of the Security Service of Ukraine, a polygraph test, and a declaration of good faith form a comprehensive security screening mechanism for candidates;
  • the Center arranges visas, insurance, accommodation, and meals, which reduces the organizational burden on the candidate.

What is wrong:

  • The Procedure regulates the candidate vetting procedure in detail but does not adequately define candidates’ status and guarantees during the selection process. In particular, the candidate is transported to Ukraine at public expense before the primary and special vetting and the polygraph test are carried out, yet the document does not define what happens if the candidate is rejected at these stages — including the grounds for the person’s continued stay in Ukraine and how their departure is financed. Nor are there requirements for giving reasons for a refusal or a mechanism for appealing it. At the same time, a significant share of the selection criteria, including the assessment of motivation and the content of the interview, is determined by the Center itself, which also offers candidates vacant positions — reducing the transparency of the selection and assignment of candidates.
  • The Procedure does not provide for mandatory disclosure to the candidate, before departure for Ukraine, of the terms of the future contract, the amount of pay, and the guarantees provided, even though candidates are recruited, among other channels, through social media abroad.

Alternative solution:

A mandatory information package on the terms of the contract, pay, and guarantees should be provided before the candidate departs. The Procedure should specify who pays for the return of those who fail vetting and what temporary legal status they hold. Candidates should be guaranteed a reasoned refusal with the possibility of reapplying.