Biden Calls For Ukraine To Lower Draft Age As Frontlines Buckle Under Russian Weight

 In April, Ukraine announced it was lowering the draft age to 25, down from 27, and as a result, around 50,000 troops joined the ranks of the military. 

Yet after seven months, Russia is progressing further and faster than at any time since the outbreak of the full-scale war. So why is this happening? 

While Russia has suffered almost a million casualties in Ukraine, Ukrainian casualties are not that far behind. Before lowering the draft in April, then head of the armed forces Valerii Zaluzhnyi argued that the country would need a significant amount of new recruits, potentially numbering around 500,000 forces, to stave off Russian advances. But instead of heeding his advice, Zelensky dismissed him. And as the months have passed since the spring of 2024, the Russians have captured a significant amount of territory and made the Ukrainian frontline brittle due to sustained pressure. Despite the state of Ukraine’s frontline, little is set to change to the chagrin of the Biden administration who is calling for Ukraine to lower the draft age to 18. 

Standing in the way of lowering the draft age is Volodymyr Zelensky. He argues that a draft of the nation’s youth is akin to destroying the country’s future as the country grows smaller by the day due to Russian advances. 

It was once said that those more prone to escalation will triumph over those seeking a more measured approach, and only through the passage of time will we find out which choice Zelensky makes.