“Enlist Now!” – Or Don’t? Why we Should be Concerned About Foreign Fighting in Ukraine

With the recent es­calation of Russia’s war on Ukraine, tens of thou­sands of foreign fighters have flocked to the region. While the wide­spread praise for indivi­duals suppor­ting the Ukrainian defense effort is under­standable, govern­ments should take measures to prevent their citizens from joining the war. Foreign fighters epi­tomize the privati­zation of wars, and the multi­plicity of indi­vidual motives and aims contri­butes to the conflict’s comple­xity. The involve­ment of third-country nationals also has the poten­tial to escalate the conflict further. Lastly, Western countries will have to deal with retur­nees who are better trained, trauma­tized, and poten­tially radica­lized.