The White House stated that Ukraine must recruit more soldiers to fight against Russia, including by lowering the draft age, as the country's most urgent need is manpower, not weapons.
A senior government official at the White House said on Wednesday that the Zelensky government should consider lowering the draft age from 25 to 18 to expand the reserve of eligible men available for rotation to the front lines.
The official said that Ukraine has not mobilized or trained enough new recruits to replace the soldiers lost on the battlefield. He said: "What is needed now is manpower; in fact, Russia is making steady progress in the east, and they are starting to push the Ukrainian lines in the Kursk region. At this moment, given our observation of the current battlefield situation, mobilization and increasing manpower can make a significant impact."
This message is the clearest signal of impatience from the U.S. and its allies regarding Zelensky's reluctance to recruit young soldiers. Ukrainian leaders have stated that there is no need to lower the draft age.
With less than two months remaining, the Biden administration is trying to strengthen Ukraine's military capabilities before Trump takes office.
Trump has promised to quickly end the war, and even Zelensky stated that the conflict needs to conclude next year. However, as Russian forces steadily penetrate Ukraine, how things will unfold remains unclear.
This official said the Biden administration has begun discussions with the incoming Trump team, but could not comment on the new government's plans.
White House spokesman John Kirby reaffirmed on Wednesday that the Biden administration's commitment remains valid. He said: "We will absolutely continue to provide weapons and equipment to Ukraine. We know this is vital, but at this point, manpower is equally important. In fact, we believe manpower is their most critical need right now. Therefore, if they take appropriate steps, we are also prepared to enhance our training capacity."
According to sources from the German Ministry of Defense, Germany has also been calling on Ukraine to lower its draft age.
Biden administration officials stated that Biden intends to use the funds already allocated by Congress during his final term to provide thousands of artillery shells and rockets, as well as hundreds of missile interceptors, vehicles, and other weapon systems.
Ukraine has insisted that it still needs to provide weapons and equipment for its existing soldiers. Zelensky said in a speech on November 19 that the Ministry of Defense must create incentives for citizens under the age of 25 to join the war effort, but he reiterated that there are no plans to change the draft age.
A source from Zelensky's office stated that Ukraine currently does not have enough equipment to arm the mobilized forces. He said: "In terms of our current mobilization efforts, we do not have enough equipment, such as armored vehicles, to support all the drafted troops. We cannot compensate for the delays in decision-making and supply chains by risking the lives of our soldiers, especially the youngest ones."
Zelensky made it clear: "Do not speculate, our country is not prepared to lower the draft age."
Article forwarded from: Jin Ten Data