“Sullivan said that Ukraine will have to solve the problem of lack of personnel at the front January 13, 19:36 Share: National Security Adviser to the US President Jacob Sullivan (Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque) US President Joe Biden’s National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that Ukraine will have to solve the problem of lack of personnel at the front. He said this in an interview with Bloomberg Television on Monday, January 13. Journalist of the publication”, — write on: ua.news
National Security Adviser to the US President Jacob Sullivan (Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
US President Joe Biden’s national security advisor Jake Sullivan said that Ukraine will have to solve the problem of lack of personnel at the front.
He said this in an interview with Bloomberg Television on Monday, January 13.
The publication’s journalist mentioned that US President-elect Donald Trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, in a recent interview advised Kyiv to “go all-in” and lower the conscription age to 18, and asked why the US never demanded of Ukraine changes in the legislation and whether the pressure of the new administration can force Volodymyr Zelenskyi to adopt changes.
In response, Sullivan recalled that Ukraine lowered the enlistment age from 27 to 25 and adopted a number of other changes to make it easier for people younger than 25 to join the Defense Forces.
“But you have to admit that the personnel problem in Ukraine has become more acute during the last year. Ukraine’s need to be able to fill brigades and battalions while we provide massive amounts of military equipment has become greater. We spoke about it directly and informed the new team [Дональда Трампа]”Sullivan said.
The official added that, in the end, this is a sovereign decision of Ukraine, but the US made it clear that the issue of manpower “is a matter of acute concern” and needs attention.
Discussions about lowering the mobilization age to 18 — what is known
As of January 2025, citizens of Ukraine aged 18 to 25 can enter into a contract for military service for a period of one year.
The Associated Press agency, citing sources, reported that the administration of US President Joe Biden is calling on Ukraine to lower the mobilization age from 25 to 18 in order to quickly increase the size of the army.
On November 19, 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that there are no plans to lower the mobilization age in Ukraine. The head of state also said that the partners would like to lower the mobilization age in Ukraine, but he considers it dangerous.
On November 22, a high-ranking NV source in the Armed Forces reported that Ukraine is working on a new contract format with the Armed Forces of Ukraine for youth aged 18-24.
On November 29, Ivan Tymochko, the head of the Reservist Council of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said that next year all men aged 18 to 25 must undergo mandatory basic military training.
On December 2, The Washington Post reported that the Biden administration was disappointed by Zelenskyi’s decision not to lower the draft age.
On December 5, the adviser to the President of Ukraine, Dmytro Lytvyn, said that the country is not preparing to lower the mobilization age from the current 25 to 18.
On December 11, the British edition of The Telegraph, citing its own sources, said that the refusal of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi to the calls of the White House to lower the mobilization age to 18 created tension in his relations with the President of the United States Joe Biden.