Ukraine plans to open its military recruitment system to foreign nationals and aims to have foreigners fill as many as half of all assault and infantry positions in its armed forces, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said. The proposal is part of a broader effort to strengthen combat units while reducing the burden on Ukrainian troops fighting Russia’s full-scale invasion, Fedorov said in a statement.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “We are opening the foreign recruitment market to strengthen combat units and preserve the lives of Ukrainian service members,” Fedorov said. According to the minister, the government’s goal is for foreign nationals to occupy between 30% and 50% of assault and infantry positions in the Ukrainian military. Fedorov also said the government plans to begin gradually releasing from military service those who have spent the longest time in Ukraine’s Defense Forces and have served the most time in combat. The process is expected to start before the end of the year. He described the initiative as only the first stage of a broader military transformation. A second phase will focus on overhauling recruitment and mobilization procedures. Fedorov said the government is seeking to build an army with clear rules and greater respect for service members, adding that protecting the lives of soldiers remains a top priority. Such an army, he said, would give Ukraine a stronger position from which to bring the war to an end.