Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, foreign fighters from over 50 countries have joined the fight through Ukraine’s International Legion. Among them, Americans make up a substantial portion. This article discusses American foreign fighters, whose involvement is well-documented and particularly complex given the United States' position regarding the war in Ukraine. Most are military veterans with prior deployments in various conflict zones, often carrying combat-related trauma like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is intensified when entering new warzones. Compounding the problem is a lack of institutional support upon their re-entry to the United States. While many have lost their lives on the battlefield, those who are able to return home face significant challenges in terms of mental health and reintegration.

The combat environment in Ukraine is unlike any American soldier has faced. It combines the demoralizing pace of trench warfare with modern threats of first-person view drones and the pervasive sense of being outmatched in both manpower and resources. These experiences often result in anxiety, depression, survivor’s guilt, and substance abuse, issues already common among veterans. The situation is worsened by Ukraine’s own PTSD crisis, where psychological care is scarce and the war’s attritional nature leaves little room for recovery. Many U.S. veterans already struggle to access adequate support for mental health conditions sustained during official military service. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan exposed significant gaps in the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) ability to provide timely, comprehensive care. For Americans fighting in Ukraine, the situation is even worse. Because their service was not part of a formal U.S. operation, the VA offers no support, regardless of past military record. These fighters return home with no safety net, forced to navigate trauma alone: what does it say about a nation when it refuses to care for its own people – those who, driven by altruistic motivations, put their lives on the line for the very values that nation claims to defend?

There is currently no policy framework put in place for American citizens returning from the war in Ukraine. Many are driven by conviction and frustration, stepping in where they feel the government has failed, and the recent stalls of U.S. aid to Ukraine have only intensified this disconnect. The U.S. aids former terrorist fighters’ reintegration from the Middle East but offers nothing to volunteers from a war it claims to support. This policy vacuum speaks volumes. Isolationist policies and diminishing support under the Trump administration not only hurt Ukraine’s chances of survival, but they also abandon the Americans who chose to stand up in its defence.

Many soldiers returning from the frontlines experience novel forms of psychological distress from the unique nature of this conflict. Without proper care, returnees are at a heightened risk of developing or worsening PTSD, moral injury, and substance abuse issues. Social isolation is another threat, particularly as these soldiers return to a political climate that no longer seems to favour Ukraine’s sovereignty. The result is a volatile mix of trauma, alienation, and despair. Suicide rates among American veterans are already alarmingly high, with over 6,000 deaths reported annually. There are broader risks as well, one such threat being the potential for radicalization. In the U.S., far-right and survivalist movements have long targeted disaffected veterans for recruitment. Therefore, the psychologically vulnerable men with combat experience returning to a country with no support become attractive candidates, further fueling domestic instability. Ultimately, failing to create appropriate frameworks for these returnees sets a dangerous precedent for policy: support becomes conditional on the politics of the conflict, and not the needs of the individual.

Federal inaction doesn’t mean solutions are out of reach. While a lack of political will remains a significant barrier, smaller-scale efforts can lead the way. Partnering with veterans’ organizations may offer immediate support, and reintegration programs at the local and state levels can create models for national initiatives. At minimum, the U.S. should provide legal clarity on their citizens’ involvement in the war, and what it means for their employment, healthcare, and legal status. Where policies do emerge, lived experience must guide them. Existing models, like Ukraine’s Combat Path Debriefing based on U.S. Army doctrine, offer a foundation for adaptation. These fighters risked everything to uphold the democratic values the United States claim to stand for. Supporting their safe and dignified return is not just a policy imperative, but a moral one. 

Margaux Knoerr is a University of Ottawa (Canada) graduate specializing in Conflict Studies and Human Rights, with summa cum laude distinction and diverse experience in Canadian federal government operations. Her expertise lies in defence and war-related issues, with research interests in North American military affairs and veterans’ issues. She is especially interested in the intersections of law, security, psychology, and sociology within conflict contexts. Margaux recently completed a research mentorship through the Eastern European and Transatlantic Network, where she co-authored a white paper, and has been involved in several defence advisory groups. A dedicated humanitarian, she also volunteers in emergency management operations with the Canadian Red Cross.

Contact Margaux Knoerr: Linkedin

References

Hukovskyy, O., West, J.C., Morganstein, J.C., Augusterfer, E.F., Benedek, D.M., Boyko, O., Ursano, R.J. & Adler, A.B. (2024). The Combat Path: Sustaining Mental Readiness in Ukrainian Soldiers. US Army War College Publications. https://publications.armywarcollege.edu/News/Display/Article/3789930/the-combat-path-sustaining-mental-readiness-in-ukrainian-soldiers/

Moore, M.J., Shawler, E., Jordan, C.H. & Jackson, C.A. (2023). Veteran and Military Mental Health Issues. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK572092/

Ratelle, J.-F. & Knoerr, M. (2025). American Foreign Fighters in Ukraine: Motivations, Profiles, and Risk-assessment. Eastern European and Transatlantic Network. https://carleton.ca/eetn/2025/american-foreign-fighters-in-ukraine-motivations-profiles-and-risk-assessment/

Swed, O., Stiefelmaier, A. & Hanchukova, O. (2024). Motivated to Fight: Diverse Motivations of Foreign Fighters in the Russia–Ukraine War. Armed Forces & Society, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/0095327X241291219