Ukraine's Parliament Extends Martial Law and Mobilisation by 90 Days

Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, voted on Monday to extend martial law and general mobilisation for another 90 days, approving bills submitted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The vote took place during a plenary session broadcast on Monday 26 October. A total of 293 MPs supported the extension of martial law, while 281 backed prolonging general mobilisation for the same period.

In a separate vote, 280 MPs approved having the bills signed immediately by the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada and forwarded to the president for his signature.

Under the legislation currently in force, martial law and general mobilisation remain in effect until 05:30 on 31 October 2026. Zelenskyy proposed extending both measures by 90 days, which would keep them in place until 29 January 2027.

The president has repeatedly argued that the restrictions cannot be lifted before the war with Russia ends on terms that guarantee Ukraine's security. In December 2025, he stressed that the war will not be over until Kyiv receives effective security guarantees, and that martial law must remain in place until that point.

Asked at the time whether martial law could be lifted during a ceasefire, Zelenskyy replied: "First of all, we all want the war to end, and only then will martial law be lifted, and that is the only way. Martial law will be lifted at the moment when Ukraine has security guarantees."

"Without security guarantees, this war will not truly end; we will not be able to recognise that it has ended, because there would remain a risk of renewed aggression from such a neighbour," he added.

Under the previous decisions, martial law and mobilisation had been extended from 2 August to 31 October 2026, making Monday's vote the latest in a long series of renewals.

Martial law and general mobilisation have been in force across Ukraine without interruption since 24 February 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.