Ukraine keeps martial law running until late January

293 Ukrainian lawmakers voted Monday to keep the country in a state of emergency for another three months.

The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, approved a bill to extend martial law until 29 January 2027. In a separate vote, 281 members supported prolonging general mobilization for the same 90-day period. These measures were previously set to expire at 05:30 on 31 October 2026.

The chamber also voted 280 to 0 to have the bills signed immediately by the parliament chairman. The documents will now be forwarded to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his official signature. This is the most recent step in a long series of renewals that have kept these laws active since 24 February 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

Zelenskyy submitted the proposal, arguing that restrictions cannot be lifted until the war ends on terms that guarantee Ukraine’s security. He has maintained that the conflict will not truly conclude until Kyiv receives effective security assurances. In December 2025, he stated that martial law must remain in place until that point is reached.

The president addressed the possibility of a ceasefire directly. “First of all, we all want the war to end, and only then will martial law be lifted, and that is the only way,” Zelenskyy said. He added that without security guarantees, the risk of renewed aggression from a neighbor remains, preventing a final declaration of peace.

The current legislative framework had kept mobilization and martial law in force from 2 August to 31 October 2026. Monday’s decision extends that timeline, ensuring both measures remain active across the country for the next quarter.