Ukraine pushes back on Western calls to lower military draft age
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The White House or other Western officials cannot dictate Ukraine's approach to the mobilization age, Deputy PM for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Justice Minister Olha Stefanishyna told public broadcaster Suspilne on Dec. 16, commenting on calls to lower the draft age.
“Personally, I perceive this (statements by Western officials about the need to lower the age of mobilization in Ukraine - ed.) as a desire to remove responsibility for agreements made earlier," she said.
Currently, Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 25 can voluntarily sign a one-year contract for military service.
This follows an earlier AP report on Nov. 27 that Washington was urging Ukraine to lower the draft age to quickly grow the size of its military
On Dec. 2 The Washington Post wrote that the White House was ‘disappointed’ with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's refusal to lower the draft age to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
“The most decisive factor on the battlefield today is Ukrainian soldiers ready to fight to stabilize the frontline,” a U.S. official said.
On Nov. 19, Zelenskyy announced that there were no plans to lower the mobilization age. He acknowledged international suggestions for lowering the draft age but described it as a risky move.
On Nov. 22, a senior source in Ukraine’s Armed Forces revealed plans to develop a new contract format targeting young people aged 18–24 for military service.
On Nov. 29, Ivan Tymochko, head of the Reserve Council of Ukraine's Ground Forces, stated that starting next year, all men aged 18–25 would undergo mandatory basic military training.
On April 2, Zelenskyy signed a law lowering the draft age from 27 to 25. The bill was on the president’s table for 10 months.
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