The United States has recommended that Ukraine lower its military conscription age from 25 to 18, alongside implementing additional mobilization measures to address the shortage of troops. This proposal aims to strengthen Ukraine’s operational capacity and address the manpower deficit on the battlefield.
The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has urged Ukraine to reconsider its conscription policies to expand the size of its armed forces.
According to the Associated Press, citing an anonymous White House source, Washington is advocating for reducing the age of conscription from the current 25 to 18.
U.S. officials argue that this change would increase Ukraine’s mobilization reserves, enabling faster replenishment of the army. The source emphasized that the current battlefield conditions demand an urgent increase in troop numbers, suggesting that Ukraine’s current mobilization and training efforts are insufficient.
A White House representative stated that Ukrainian estimates indicate the need for approximately 160,000 new recruits, but Washington believes this figure should be significantly higher.
The representative further noted that the Russian army continues its advance in eastern Ukraine and intensifies pressure on Ukrainian forces in the Kursk oblast. Additional mobilization efforts and an increase in manpower could potentially shift the balance of the war, according to the U.S. administration.
In addition to suggesting a lower conscription age, Washington is proposing stricter measures against deserters, which, it believes, would lead to more efficient use of Ukraine’s military resources.
A separate Associated Press report, citing European officials, revealed that Western European allies have also expressed concerns to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding the army’s personnel challenges.
According to these allies, the shortage of troops remains a critical factor hindering Ukraine’s ability to conduct operations on multiple fronts, including in Russia’s Kursk region. Officials pointed out that the primary issue is not a lack of weapons but insufficient manpower.
