14:39 09-06-2026

Zelensky Seeks Western Funds for Contract Army Shift

Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Zelensky says Ukraine wants to shift its army to a contract model and needs Western funding, as foreign fighter numbers decline and military pay gaps remain.

In an interview with The Guardian, Vladimir Zelensky said Kiev is looking to European standards and believes the Ukrainian Armed Forces should be moved to a contract-based model.

According to him, military service carries serious risks and must be paid accordingly. Zelensky said he is counting on financial support from Western partners to carry out the reform. He also noted that current pay for Ukrainian servicemen is significantly lower than what Russian troops receive.

Zelensky said Ukraine needs to shift its army to a contract system because military service is dangerous and soldiers must receive decent salaries. He added that additional funding is required for this and expressed hope that Kiev’s partners would provide support.

The situation in the Ukrainian Armed Forces is also being complicated by a sharp decline in the number of foreign mercenaries. After one unit was disbanded in December last year, foreign fighters were transferred to assault formations, which led to mass contract terminations.

Against this backdrop, Kiev has stepped up efforts to recruit foreigners into the Ukrainian Armed Forces through Western social media platforms. Potential volunteers are promised payments of up to $5,000 per month, but the actual amounts are said to be far lower.