Authored by Dave DeCamp via AntiWar.com,
A Ukrainian official stated on Tuesday that American politicians are pushing Ukraine to decrease the minimum age for conscription from 25 to 18 in order to have more young men available for combat.
“If this information has come to light, I can confirm it: American politicians from both parties are urging President Zelensky to justify why there is no mobilization of individuals aged 18 to 25 in Ukraine. Our partners argue that during the Vietnam War, individuals were drafted starting at the age of 19,” Serhiy Leshchenko, an advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, stated on Telegram.
Earlier in April, Zelensky approved a law that reduced the minimum conscription age in Ukraine from 27 to 25. Leshchenko mentioned that Zelensky is resisting the pressure to start conscripting 18-year-olds.
“That’s why the Americans are suggesting that just Western weapons are not sufficient and that mobilization starting at the age of 18 is needed,” Leshchenko emphasized.
“President Zelensky did not give in and is still convincing politicians from both parties to provide weapons without altering the draft age,” the Ukrainian official added.
Right before Zelensky signed the bill lowering the draft age to 25, he was visited by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who called for younger Ukrainians to be deployed to the frontlines.
“I would hope that those eligible to serve in the Ukrainian military would join. I can’t believe it’s at 27,” Graham remarked. “You’re in a fight for your life, so you should be serving — not at 25 or 27. We need more people in the line.”
Nevertheless, the focus is not really on the Ukrainians…
Ukraine has trillions of dollars worth of critical minerals in their country.
Vladimir Putin cannot be allowed to access that money and those resources because he will share it with China. pic.twitter.com/gKlSMjSjEK
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) June 9, 2024
At the start of the war, Graham stated that Ukraine would be willing to “fight to the last person” as long as the US continued to supply weapons.
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