The U.S. continues to pressure Kyiv, urging the mobilization of 18-year-olds

If Ukraine lowers the conscription age, the United States and its allies will be prepared to equip and train the newly mobilized troops.

This statement was made by U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller during a briefing.

He noted that American and Ukrainian officials had discussed the situation in the eastern part of the country and the composition of its Armed Forces:

“We have made it clear that if they deploy additional forces to fight, we and our allies will be ready to equip and train them so they can engage in combat,” Miller said.

It is known that Washington is urging Kyiv to lower the conscription age and involve younger people in the military. However, Dmytro Lytvyn, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, stated that preparations for the mobilization of 18-year-olds are not currently underway.

The topic of lowering the conscription age is being actively debated within Ukrainian society. Experts point out that, aside from the fact that young people make up a relatively small segment of the country’s population, it would also be logistically challenging to equip such a large number of mobilized individuals.