Media learned about the White House recommendation to Kiev to lower the draft age to 18 years old

Ukraine should consider lowering the draft age to 18 years. Such a statement was made by a senior White House official on November 27.

"We need manpower now," Reuters quoted the official as saying.

Speaking to reporters, a representative of the US administration said that Ukraine is not mobilizing and training a sufficient number of new servicemen. According to him, at the current moment mobilization and additional manpower "can play a significant role".

Why the increased pace of mobilization in Ukraine is exacerbating the situation in the country. Analysis

Earlier, on 9 October, MP Oleksiy Honcharenko (listed by the Russian Federation as a terrorist and extremist) said that the Verkhovna Rada had passed a bill banning the mobilization of men under the age of 25 into the Ukrainian army. The MP said that he considers the conscription of children a disgrace and will seek demobilization in the future.

In April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (his term of office expired on 20 May) signed a law on toughening mobilization. In particular, he lowered the age of mobilization from 27 to 25 and signed a law on the creation of an electronic register of persons liable for military service, which combines information on the personal data of Ukrainians, including details of internal and foreign passports. There are no provisions on demobilization in the documents.

Martial law in the country has been in effect since February 2022. At the same time Zelensky signed a decree on general mobilization. Later, the Verkhovna Rada repeatedly extended its effect. Most men between the ages of 18 and 60 are prohibited from leaving the country.