President Biden’s administration. Emphasis on Ukraine Lowering its draft age to recruit 18-year-olds to keep pace with Russia’s growing military nearly three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion.
A senior The Biden administration The official told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the “pure math” of the situation in Ukraine calls for lowering the draft age from the current 25 to increase the fighting force beyond its numbers.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Ukraine had failed to mobilize and train enough troops to replace losses on its battlefields and keep pace with Russia’s growing forces. happening
In April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law lowering the military conscription age from 27 to 25 to fill its depleted ranks.
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Lowering the minimum recruitment age, however, has some Ukrainians worried that it could further harm the labor force already by pulling more young adults out of it. A war-torn economy. Some Ukrainian officials see the pressure from the U.S. as part of a Western effort to distract from their delays in delivering weapons and other equipment.
Due to the lack of Ukrainian manpower on the battlefield, the Biden administration has urged Ukrainian authorities to lower the draft age to 18. (AP Photo/Dan Bashakoff)
Even with more than one million Ukrainians in uniform, including the National Guard and other units, Ukrainian officials have said they need about 160,000 additional troops to advance on the battlefield.
But the Biden administration believes they may need even more, saying that addressing Ukraine’s labor shortage eclipses that need. military equipment.
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white home Sean Savett, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said in a statement that the administration will continue to send weapons to Ukraine, but believes that manpower is the most important need for Ukraine.
More than one million Ukrainians are now in uniform, including the National Guard and other units. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
“Therefore, we are also ready to increase our training capacity if they take appropriate steps to replenish their ranks,” Savett said.
The White House has initiated more than $56 billion in security assistance for Ukraine. Russia’s February 2022 attack And is expected to send more billions to Kiev before Biden leaves office in less than two months.
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President-elect Trump has said he will bring a swift end to the war when he takes office on January 20, 2025, although some fear he may not be able to continue providing military aid to Ukraine.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.