Volodymyr Zelensky opposed the lowering of the conscription age from 25 to 18, which, according to Kyiv media, was previously called for by the Joe Biden administration. The leader of Ukraine wrote on Platform X, “the priority should be the delivery of missiles and the reduction of Russia's military capabilities, not lowering the conscription age in Ukraine.”
In his Tuesday message on the X platform, Volodymyr Zelensky wrote that “there is a lot of talk in the media about lowering the conscription age for Ukrainians sent to the front.” “We should focus on equipping the existing brigades with equipment and training soldiers on how to use this equipment,” the Ukrainian president said, adding that the lack of equipment and training cannot be compensated with mobilized “youth”.
The president added that “the priority should be the delivery of missiles and the reduction of Russia's military capabilities, not lowering the conscription age in Ukraine.” “The goal should be to save as many people's lives as possible, not to keep weapons in warehouses,” he emphasized in this message.
The website “Ukrainskaya Pravda” wrote that in November, the administration of the current US President Joe Biden called on Ukraine to change the mobilization regulations for conscripting people aged 18 and over to the army, and to quickly increase the number of armed forces.
The Associated Press later quoted a Biden administration official as saying it was the result of “pure math” about the situation on the front lines and the personnel problems of the Ukrainian armed forces.
Ukrainian soldiers. Photo: facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua
Lowering the recruitment age
In October of this year, the parliament of Ukraine banned the mobilization of men under 25 years of age. 311 members of the Verkhovna Rada, consisting of 450 members, supported this change.
Earlier, Serhiy Leshchenko, an adviser to the head of the presidential office, wrote on Telegram that “American politicians from both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party are pressuring Zelensky to lower the age of mobilization of Ukrainians to 18.”
At the end of September of this year, Zelensky said in an interview with Sky News that Ukraine cannot send young people to the front without proper weapons. The president then emphasized that “the allies are talking about increased mobilization, but the real problem remains the lack of weapons.” He recalled that more than a year ago, Kiev requested equipment for 10 brigades of the armed forces of Ukraine. “So far, Western partners have been able to supply only two and a half brigades with equipment,” Zelensky said.
The Truth of Ukraine, Radio Svoboda, tvn24.pl
Main photo source: facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua
