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Facing the fastest Russian advances in two years, Ukraine now stands at a critical crossroads: should it lower its military recruitment age to 18, risking long-term demographic challenges, or continue relying on dwindling manpower to hold the line?
Ukraine’s conscription age presently stands at 25, and even prior to implementing a draft had a declining population. The United States, Ukraine’s chief weapons supplier, has urged the country to lower its conscription age to 18 in order to expand the manpower pool. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected this request citing the losses in land are a result of delayed weapon imports and that Ukraine should not have to compensate for these delays with its youth.
The Ukrainian parliament support Zelensky’s push for more weapons over lowering the conscription age. According to the Financial Times Ukraine estimates it needs 160,000 soldiers, which the US considers insufficient for the battlefield requirements, and disagrees with Ukraine, arguing that weapons alone will not decisively impact the war and stressing the need for more Ukrainian manpower.
Concerns over Ukrainian manpower arise as Russian forces have made territorial gains in recent months, particularly towards eastern Ukrainian cities and southeastern fronts. The Biden administration is racing to pass an additional US$7 billion in security aid to Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in.
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