Zelensky signs law permitting Ukraine’s armed forces deployment abroad during martial law

Head of State Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law on specific issues of sending units of Ukraine's armed forces to other states during the period of martial law.

This is reported on the parliament's website.

The law regulates that during the period of martial law, military units and subdivisions of Ukraine's armed forces may be sent abroad to:

• ensure national security,
• repel and deter armed aggression,
• protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,
• exercise the right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.

The law was finalized with the inclusion of proposals from Ukraine's president. These proposals clarify the decision-making process for deploying armed forces units abroad, detail the procedures for their deployment outside the country, and ensure compliance with international law standards.

For reference:

On January 15, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the law "On Amendments to Certain Laws Concerning Certain Issues of Sending Units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to Other States During the Period of Martial Law."

317 people's deputies supported the corresponding legislative initiative No. 12378.

According to the explanatory note, the document aims to legislatively regulate specific issues of sending Ukraine's armed forces units to other states during martial law.

It is noted that the president of Ukraine will decide to deploy units of the armed forces to other states, with a draft law for approval submitted concurrently to the Verkhovna Rada.

However, such a procedure will not apply to cases of using units of Ukraine's armed forces on the territory of a state carrying out armed aggression against Ukraine to repel such aggression.

Together with the draft law, the President must submit information on:

• tasks,
• total number of the specified units, the type and composition of their weapons, military equipment, subordination,
• terms of stay and the procedure for their possible extension,
• procedure for replacing the personnel of the unit and the procedure for their maintenance.

The law's provisions will apply to Ukrainian armed forces units deployed to another state before its enactment. It focuses on measures related to national security and defense, repelling and deterring armed aggression against Ukraine, and safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Adopting this law will create conditions for the settlement of specific issues of sending units of Ukraine's armed forces to other countries during the period of martial law. Its implementation will improve the process of receiving military equipment from partner countries, staffing the relevant units with personnel and the received equipment and developing and preparing for use, which requires long training cycles.

On January 30, Zelensky vetoed the law and returned it to the parliament with his proposals.

On February 25, the Council adopted the relevant law with the proposals of the head of state.

In August 2014, Ukraine's Defense Forces initiated an operation in Russia's Kursk region to prevent an enemy offensive in the Sumy region and establish a "buffer zone." President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that Ukraine's armed forces successfully completed the main task of the Kursk operation: withdrawing troops from Pokrovsk, the Kharkiv area, and Sumy.