Editor’s Note: To protect their identities, the soldiers interviewed for this article are referred to by their first names, callsigns, or nicknames.
William, a 25-year-old U.S. Army veteran, arrived in Ukraine just days after his contract with the U.S. military ended in March. Determined to join the Ukrainian military in its fight against Russian aggression, he accelerated his plans when President Donald Trump made a sharp reversal in U.S. policy toward Ukraine.
Originally intending to travel in the summer, William felt an urgent need to act. “It's frustrating to sit around doing nothing when you know you can do something right,” he told the Kyiv Independent before departing for Ukraine.
His connection to Ukraine dates back to the 2013-2014 EuroMaidan Revolution. As a high school student in Tennessee, he was inspired by the Ukrainian people rising against a pro-Russian, anti-Western regime.
William is among many Americans who have enlisted in Ukraine's armed forces amid the full-scale invasion, particularly after a contentious meeting on Feb. 28 between Trump, his Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Shortly after, the U.S. abruptly suspended military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine—a decision later reversed, though concerns over America’s shifting stance remain.
According to an international serviceman involved in recruiting foreign volunteers for one of Ukraine’s elite units, applications surged following the Oval Office meeting. Thousands applied, with many expressing shock and outrage over the policy shift.
Ron, another recruit and former U.S. Army soldier who served in Afghanistan, reached out to Ukrainian military officials immediately after Trump took office and cut military aid. The 35-year-old from Colorado described feeling “embarrassed by my country.” The U.S. withdrawal of support for Ukraine cemented his decision to fight.
“I'm a patriot. I love my country. But the people in charge right now are destroying what it should stand for,” Ron told the Kyiv Independent before his departure.
“It’s an absolute shame. I can’t just sit by and watch while Ukraine fights so bravely with the limited equipment we gave them.”
Although Ron was shocked by Trump’s reelection, he initially held out hope that the president might make the right decisions regarding Ukraine. However, Trump’s first month in office shattered that belief.
“He’s selfish and only wants quick fixes,” Ron said, criticizing Trump’s push for a rushed peace deal with Russia, no matter the cost. The president has repeatedly boasted of his close relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and pledged to swiftly end the war.
Trump’s “America First” policy has also raised alarms in Europe. Reports suggest he is considering a dramatic shift in NATO involvement, potentially refusing to defend member states that fail to meet defense spending targets.
Fearing that the U.S. might abandon Europe entirely, Ron believes American inaction could lead to “a general war in Europe with Russia.”
Another recruit, a former U.S. Army Cavalry Scout known by his callsign Juggernaut, said he felt “sick to the stomach” watching the U.S. decrease its support for Ukraine despite Russia’s continued war crimes against civilians.
After completing his seven-year military contract a week after Trump’s inauguration, the 28-year-old Hawaii native arrived in Ukraine in February and is now awaiting training.
Despite voting for Trump in 2024, Juggernaut admitted he was “really disappointed” with his leadership.
“We only have so long on this earth, and worrying about ourselves won’t bring us gratification at the end of our lives,” he said from eastern Ukraine. His fears of dying for nothing faded upon seeing Ukraine’s suffering firsthand.
“I’m a spiritual person, and it made me sick thinking about Russians taking over this country while these people suffer even more.”
Esquire, a 40-year-old lawyer and father from Texas, also decided to enlist despite having no military experience. Waiting in Kyiv to join the Ukrainian forces, he admitted his wife and two children begged him not to go.
Still, he felt he could not stand by and do nothing. “I didn’t want to live the rest of my days knowing I was a coward,” he said.
Esquire struggles with the possibility that his family may never forgive him for making what he believes to be a meaningful sacrifice.
“I feel betrayed, sickened,” he said, sipping coffee at a Kyiv cafe. “It’s like mourning a dead friend—except that friend is my country.”
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