The Biden administration is pressuring Ukraine to lower the conscription age to 18 years old in order to rapidly bolster its armed forces for the war against Russia. This is reported by Reuters, citing a senior official from the U.S. administration.
According to the official, the "pure math" of the current situation in Ukraine indicates that more troops are needed for combat operations, yet Ukraine is not mobilizing or training enough new soldiers.
The official stated that Ukrainians believe they need around 160,000 additional personnel, but the U.S. administration thinks they will likely require more.
"The Russians are actually achieving sustained success in the east, and they are beginning to push back Ukrainian lines in Kursk... Mobilization and increasing troop numbers could significantly change the situation on the battlefield right now," he said.
The official added that the administration believes Ukraine could also optimize its current forces by taking a more aggressive stance towards soldiers who desert or go AWOL.
Moreover, Associated Press reports that allies in Western capitals have also hinted to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Ukraine has a manpower issue rather than an arms problem. European allies emphasize that a lack of personnel will soon prevent Ukraine from continuing operations in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation.
Lowering the Conscription Age in Ukraine
In October, advisor to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Sergey Leshchenko, stated that the U.S. is pressuring Volodymyr Zelensky to push for a reduction in the conscription age in Ukraine. Allegedly, representatives from both major U.S. parties are emphasizing that during the Vietnam War, Americans sent conscripts starting at age 19.
Member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence, Fedor Venislavsky, also confirmed that this topic is being raised in the West – but not at an official level, rather in personal conversations.
As stated by the head of the recruitment center of the 12th Special Purpose Brigade "Azov," Yuri "Milan" Havrylyshyn, youth aged 18 to 35 generally fight the most effectively.