Zelenskyy on Lowering Ukraine’s Draft Age: We Should Preserve Lives, Not Weapons In Storages

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the suggestions from international partners to lower the conscription age in order to increase the number of soldiers on the front lines. He emphasized that shortages in equipment and training cannot be compensated for by younger soldiers.

“We must not compensate the lack of equipment and training with the youth of soldiers. The priority should be providing missiles and lowering Russia’s military potential, not Ukraine’s draft age. The goal should be to preserve as many lives as possible, not to preserve weapons in storages,” Zelenskyy wrote on his official account on X on December 9.

Zelenskyy noted that the most important goal is to stay united in order to end Russia’s war. He thanked his counterparts the French President Emmanuel Macron and US President-elect Trump for the productive recent meeting in Paris.

“We know that America has the capacity to accomplish remarkable things—things that others have not been able to achieve. To succeed in ending this war, we need unity—the unity of America, Europe, and everyone in the world who values security—as well as strong positions and guarantees for peace,” Zelenskyy stated.

Previously, Zelenskyy had responded to calls from international partners to mobilize more people into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He emphasized that many already existing brigades in Ukraine currently lack adequate equipment and weaponry.

Earlier, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated that Ukraine needs to increase the number of troops on the front lines to strengthen its positions using the weapons provided by Washington.