From across the globe: understanding the motivations of pro-Ukraine foreign fighters

To date, the most glaring gap in our understanding of the phenomenon of foreign fighters concerns the motivations that prompted – and continue to prompt – them to enlist in the Ukrainian International Legion (UIL) and other military units open to foreign recruits. In essence, why do they fight and risk dying for a foreign country? What drives people from different nations and walks of life to quit their jobs, leave their families behind, and embark on such a perilous endeavor? This article aims to address this gap by presenting the results of a new study, whose main contribution lies in its unparalleled access to primary sources. This study draws on 30 interviews, largely conducted between January and April 2023, either in person or online, with foreign fighters from 20 countries and 5 continents. We find no evidence that financial incentives influenced or contributed to their decisions to join the fight against Russia. Instead, normative considerations and ethical imperatives predominantly explain their decisions to enlist. Additionally, we examine and find little evidence that foreign combatants are being treated unfairly. In fact, several interviewees not only refuted these allegations but also claimed that foreigners receive better treatment than their local counterparts.