At the plenary session held on January 14, the Ukrainian Parliament voted to pass two important bills on national security.
According to images broadcast live from the parliament, delegates expressed high consensus on the government's proposals.
The bill to extend martial law received 333 votes in favor, while the bill to continue the general mobilization order received 312 votes in favor. Both of these figures far exceed the minimum required of 226 votes to be passed, showing the unity of Kiev's lawmakers in the context of a still complicated conflict.
According to this new decision, wartime measures will continue to be maintained for another 90 days, taking effect from February 3rd to May 4th, 2026.
Currently, legal documents are being transferred to the offices of President Volodymyr Zelensky and National Assembly Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk for signature and promulgation, before officially going into practice. This is the 18th consecutive time Ukraine has had to carry out this legal procedure since the conflict broke out.
The martial law and the general mobilization order have become part of the political and social life in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, when Russia began a special military operation. However, the continuous extension of this situation is not only of military significance but also directly affects the power structure of the country.
According to the Ukrainian Constitution, during the application of martial law, all election activities - including parliamentary elections, presidential elections and local council elections - are suspended indefinitely to focus resources on defense.
The direct legal consequence of this decision is the maintenance of legitimacy for the current leadership apparatus without voting. Mr. Zelensky's 5-year official presidential term ended on May 20, 2024. However, thanks to the provisions of martial law, Mr. Zelensky continued to hold the power to run the country as the Supreme Commander and head of state.
Observers believe that with this 90-day extension, Ukraine is sending a signal that they have not seen an end to the conflict in the short term.
The accompanying general mobilization order also allows the military to continue large-scale recruitment operations to compensate for losses on the battlefield, despite the heated debates in society about the forced military service process recently. Thus, at least until May 2026, the political picture in Ukraine will not have any major disruptions through the polling station.
