Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stressed that the key priority should be to provide the country with missiles and reduce Russia's military potential, not to lower the draft age. He stressed that shortcomings in technical support and training should not be compensated for by recruiting young soldiers.
Points of attention
- The main priority for Ukraine is to provide the country with missiles and increase the military potential of the Russian Federation, not to lower the conscription age.
- The focus should be on equipping existing brigades and training personnel, rather than compensating for equipment and training deficiencies with young soldiers.
- It is important to work on ending the Russian-Ukrainian war together with the support of America, Europe and other countries of the world.
- Lowering the conscription age to 18 in Ukraine is of critical importance for ensuring the effective defense of the country in the face of Russian aggression.
- The US has pledged to provide training and equipment for every mobilized soldier in Ukraine to effectively defend the country.
Ukraine should not compensate for the lack of equipment and training with young soldiers
There is a lot of talk in the media about lowering the draft age for Ukrainians to be sent to the front. We must focus on equipping existing crews with equipment and training personnel to use this equipment. We must not compensate for the lack of equipment and training by the youth of soldiers.
Volodymyr Zelenskyi
President of Ukraine
У ЗМІ багато говорять про зниження призовного віку українців для відправлення на фронт. Ми повинні зосередитися на забезпеченні наявних бригад технікою та на підготовці особового складу для використання цієї техніки. Ми не повинні компенсувати брак обладнання й підготовки…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 9, 2024
The head of state also noted that the priority should be the supply of missiles and the reduction of Russia's military potential, and not the reduction of the conscription age in Ukraine. He emphasized that the goal should be to save as many lives as possible, not to keep weapons in warehouses.
The most important thing is to work together on how to end this war. This is our priority. This is what we focused on when we met in Paris, and it was a very productive conversation. I once again express my gratitude to President Macron for organizing it, as well as my deep gratitude to President Trump for his firm determination to end this war justly, Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.
The President added that this is the right approach and it is important that all the details are carefully worked out to ensure a truly lasting peace.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy also noted that America is capable of achieving extraordinary results. And to succeed in ending the Russian-Ukrainian war, we need the unity of America, Europe and everyone in the world who values security, as well as strong positions and guarantees of peace.
I told President Trump that Putin is only afraid of him and maybe China. And it's true. Only determination can bring this war to a just conclusion and ensure lasting peace. It is necessary to act now to restore the proper international order, concluded the President of Ukraine.
What preceded this?
On December 9, a representative of the US State Department, Matthew Miller, said that if the mobilization age in Ukraine is lowered to 18, then all recruits will be provided with full equipment.
The head of the US State Department, Anthony Blinken, made a similar statement in this regard during a briefing in Brussels following the two-day meeting of the heads of foreign affairs of NATO member countries.
This is critical, because even with money and ammunition, there must be people on the front lines to resist Russian aggression. Ukraine will have to make difficult decisions regarding further mobilization, but these decisions are necessary, Blinken said.
Despite this, the head of American diplomacy does not deny that official Washington has its obligations.
According to him, for every person, every soldier that Ukraine mobilizes, the USA has undertaken to provide their training and the necessary equipment for the effective defense of the country.
