A representative of the US State Department Matthew Miller said that if Ukraine lowers the mobilization age, the US will provide all recruits with full equipment. In response, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky called to reduce Russiaʼs military potential.
In the evening of December 9, Matthew Miller said that Washington had talks with the Ukrainian government regarding the security situation in the east. According to him, the final decision on the composition of the Ukrainian army remains with Kyiv, but if Ukraine lowers the mobilization age, the USA will provide new soldiers for everyone.
Miller made his statement against the background of news that the Administration of the President of the United States is allegedly calling on the Ukrainian authorities to urgently lower the conscription age for mobilization from 25 to 18 years. According to the White House, this step is necessary to replenish the ranks of the Armed Forces against the background of the Russian military offensive at the front.
President Zelensky commented on Millerʼs words. He wrote, in particular, that the Allies should focus on providing the existing brigades with everything they need — and should not "compensate for the lack of equipment and training with the youth of soldiers".
"The priority should be the supply of missiles and the reduction of Russiaʼs military potential, not the reduction of the conscription age in Ukraine. The goal should be to save as many lives as possible, not to keep weapons in warehouses," Zelensky said.
He emphasized that Ukraineʼs priority remains ending the war.
What preceded
National Security Adviser to the US President Jake Sullivan believes that there is no weapon that could change the course of the war. Instead, Ukraine needs to "increase the number of front-line troops" in order to strengthen its position. The US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken also said that Ukraine must make "difficult decisions" regarding further mobilization.
The Office of the President of Ukraine responded that such appeals "make no sense" at a time when the previously announced aid does not arrive on time. Allies have full access to the data and can compare the promised with actual delivery volumes, it added. During the presentation of the Fortitude Plan, President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that there will be no lowering of the mobilization age in Ukraine.
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