The United States is urging Ukraine to “look hard” at removing policy mandates that limit the nation to drafting soldiers aged 25 and up, a senior administration official told The Hill on Wednesday.
They’ve suggested lowering the age to 18, which would expand their manpower in the fight against its Russian adversaries.
The official said over the past three years, the U.S. has “moved mountains” to supply Ukraine with a stockpile of weapons and munitions resulting in the country’s ability to “reclaim 50 percent” of the territory seized by Russia.
However, much progress could be lost without a new pipeline of soldiers, the official said. The Kremlin drastically increased the number of troops available for battle after deploying some of the 10,000 soldiers enlisted from North Korea.
The deal was reportedly a trade-off in exchange for Russia’s air defense missile systems.
In response to the measure, the official said the U.S. “forward-deployed American units” to Europe with the objective to train Ukrainian soldiers who can be spared from the front lines.
Ukraine’s officials said they do accept soldiers aged 18 but do not draft them out of respect for the law.
“We always want to give people a choice, so that they can choose for themselves. Now, as we say, we work in accordance with all the norms of the law,” Ukraine Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said at a March briefing, as reported by Ukra News.
“The law clearly defines, from 25 and above. If there is a desire for someone to come and serve their people, we are always happy.”
Ukraine has lost between 60,000 and 100,000 soldiers, according to The Economist’s reporting.
The official added that Ukraine has full support from the U.S. but must be willing to “fight to stabilize the front lines and the future of their nation.”
Filip Timotija contributed.
