Overview

• The U.S. has urged Ukraine to lower its military draft age to 18 to bolster its forces against Russia, but Kyiv has resisted the proposal.
• Ukrainian officials argue that younger individuals are critical for the country's post-war reconstruction and should not be over-mobilized for combat roles.
• Demographic constraints, including a low birth rate around the early 2000s, have limited the pool of men under 25 available for conscription in Ukraine.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has emphasized the need for military aid, training, and strategies to weaken Russia over expanding the draft age range.
• Critics within Ukraine cite systemic issues in the military, such as corruption and inadequate leadership, as obstacles to effective mobilization and reform.