US calls on Ukraine to lower draft age to 18

(Patria) - Ukraine should consider lowering the military draft age for its soldiers from 25 to 18, a senior US administration official said on Wednesday, pressuring Kyiv to strengthen its combat forces in the country's war with Russia, Reuters reported.

Addressing reporters, the official said Ukraine is not mobilizing or training enough new soldiers to replace those lost on the battlefield.

"Right now, people are needed," he said.

"The Russians are actually advancing, steadily advancing in the east, and are beginning to push back Ukrainian lines in Kursk... Mobilization and more manpower could make a significant difference at this point as we look at the battlefield today."

In April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law lowering the mobilization age from 27 to 25, increasing the number of civilians the military can mobilize for combat under the state of emergency, which has been in effect since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

A source in Zelensky's office said Kyiv lacks the necessary equipment for the troops it is currently mobilizing.

"Currently, with our current mobilization efforts, we do not have enough equipment, for example armored vehicles, to support all the troops we are calling up," he said.

"We cannot compensate for our partners' delays in decision-making and supply chains with the lives of our soldiers and our youngest boys."

US officials acknowledge that recruiting younger soldiers is politically difficult for Zelensky's government, and Ukraine has discussed the possibility of offering incentives for young people to enlist in a voluntary recruitment drive, another official said.

Behind closed doors, Germany is also urging Ukraine to lower the draft age, according to a source from the German Defense Ministry.