The national security committee of Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, issued an official statement saying there are no legislative initiatives, draft laws or internal discussions regarding the mobilization of women.
The statement was issued on Tuesday, Aug. 25, after former US presidential envoy Keith Kellogg said on Monday, Aug. 24, that Ukraine should mobilize women, framing their participation as an important part of society’s contribution to the war.
“Statements by individual speakers publicly speculating on this subject do not reflect actual legislative work or the committee’s position,” the statement read, urging the public “not to fall for manipulation and to rely only on official sources of information.”
Women can only join the military on a voluntary basis
Women can join Ukraine’s Defense Forces exclusively on a voluntary basis, though some categories of women – such as those with medical or pharmaceutical qualifications – are required to register for military service.
Registration, however, does not mean automatic conscription or assignment to combat duties.
Currently, women are increasingly taking on dangerous humanitarian roles, including delivering aid in frontline areas and serving as evacuation medics.
Kellogg’s comments regarding the issue
Speaking with Anna Maksymchuk in an interview posted to Naspravdi MAX’s YouTube channel on Monday, Kellogg said he saw no real obstacle to women serving in the military, either personally or professionally.
He cited his own family’s military experience, particularly that of his wife – who served as a paratrooper and took part in combat operations in the Caribbean island of Grenada, and his daughter, who reportedly graduated from a US military academy and served in Afghanistan.
“Do I think women should be mobilized into the army? My answer is yes, because they fight just as well as men,” Kellogg said.