Ukraine's presidential advisor rejects US request to lower mobilization age to 18, citing lack of weapons for existing soldiers
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Presidential Communications Advisor Dmytro Lytvyn responded to calls from the United States to lower the mobilization age to 18, noting that Ukraine lacks weapons to equip people already mobilized.
Dmytro Lytvyn reported this.
The advisor to Zelensky criticized the delays in delivering promised weapons, explaining that Ukraine's shortage of weapons is a direct result of these delays.
Lytvyn noted that partners have full access to data and can "compare promises with actual implementation."
"Ukraine cannot be expected to compensate for delays in logistics or indecision in support at the expense of the youth of our people on the front," Lytvyn stressed.
As previously reported, the Associated Press, citing its own source, reported that the administration of US President Joe Biden is urging Ukraine to lower the mobilization age to 18 to increase the size of its army quickly.
This is necessary to help expand the reserve of men of draft age.
The official said that the "pure mathematics" of Ukraine's current situation is that it needs additional troops to fight.
According to European officials who spoke anonymously, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is also hearing concerns from other Western allies that Ukraine "has a problem with the number of troops, not with weapons."
European allies have also stressed that Ukraine will soon be unable to conduct combat operations in the Kursk region due to a shortage of people.
Just recently, Jake Sullivan, the US National Security Advisor, stated that Ukraine has been provided with a variety of American weapons. Yet, it continues to struggle on the battlefield, with mobilization being identified as the root cause of this issue.
It's important to mention that in September, it was announced that Ukraine had halted the conscription of men aged 18 to 25 who were only partly fit for service. Going forward, the mobilization of these individuals will require their written consent.
Earlier, Zelensky assured that Ukraine does not plan to lower the mobilization age even though the state's partners would like such a decision. According to him, it is currently dangerous.
For reference:
The Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security and Defense supported a bill prohibiting the mobilization of men aged 18 to 25.
It was also reported that a petition to lower the upper age limit for mobilization had gained 25 thousand votes. President Volodymyr Zelensky will now consider it.
In the petition's text, published in early July, the president is asked to reduce the mobilization age for men from 60 to 50 years old "to improve the economic situation in the country."
It should be noted that men aged 25 to 60 can currently be called up for military service. Previously, the lower age limit for mobilization was 27 years.
However, on April 2, Zelensky signed a law reducing the age limit for citizens to be registered as conscripts.
It was also reported that Ukraine's government passed a resolution outlining the process for implementing a trial program to automatically verify and confirm information regarding conscription, military service, and reservist status. This means that men between 17 and 25 will automatically enroll as conscripts.
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