Ukraine adopts EU-linked law giving veterans priority in government hiring
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Ukraine’s parliament on Oct. 26 passed a law reinstating open competitions for civil service and local government positions, advancing long-delayed reforms tied to EU funding.
The law fulfills Ukraine's commitments under the Ukraine Facility, an EU financial assistance program launched in 2024, and unlocks 137 million euros ($153 million) in budget funding, Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said.
Open and transparent job hirings will be reinstated gradually, he added. The law also gives veterans priority for civil service jobs.
President's Office Head Kyrylo Budanov, a former spy chief, said Ukraine should create conditions for veterans "to realize their potential in state institutions, local government, the economy, and the country's leadership."
"Ukrainian veterans have unique experience in leadership, responsibility, management, and decision-making under the most challenging conditions," Budanov said.
"Veterans must be among those shaping Ukraine's future."
According to Ukrainian officials, there are around 2 million veterans in Ukraine. The Veterans Affairs Ministry said that after the war ends, veterans and their close family members could make up one-sixth of the country's population, or up to six million people.
Over the past year, several prominent figures with military backgrounds have taken up senior positions in Ukraine's government. Around 66% of Ukrainians have a positive attitude toward veterans participating in politics, while 19% are neutral and 7% view it negatively or somewhat negatively, according to a 2025 poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS).
