Mobilization of the youth is Ukraine's only chance to counter the "bad" deal of Trump. Reports TSN. This is stated by Kontrakty.UA.
This is mentioned in an article by The Economist.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine, which have long suffered from a personnel shortage, now face a serious threat from Donald Trump. Although the Russian offensive in the east has somewhat slowed down, the fighting remains bloody.
"Potential recruits see this, and many prefer to hide or flee," the article notes.
"We have failed the mobilization," says Artem, an officer of the 46th brigade, who claims that political restrictions have hindered military needs. He has seen his unit pushed out of Kurakhove.
"Ten Russians for one Ukrainian. A group of four soldiers responsible for holding several apartment buildings, each with three or four entrances," the military recounts.
Russia is constantly replenishing its army with manpower
The advantage of Russia in terms of personnel is not immediately apparent from the overall numbers. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the Defense Forces number 880,000 individuals. Meanwhile, the number of Russian forces in Ukraine and around it stands at 720,000, including reserves and security forces. This appears to be a reasonable ratio, considering that Ukraine is largely defending its positions.
"But a rough comparison is misleading. Where it matters – at the front, in the trenches – Russia is replenishing its losses much faster than Ukraine. It can throw people forward, often with the incentive of Russian rifles aimed at their backs, whereas Ukraine cannot," notes The Economist.
The publication reminds that in 2024, Russia replenished its army by 430,000 individuals without resorting to general mobilization. Even after staggering losses, the personnel of the Russian army has increased by approximately 140,000, and a similar increase is planned for this year.
The Russian grouping in Ukraine is also supported by other elements of its larger, officially 1.5-million-strong army. "I guarantee that at least 1 million Russian soldiers are involved in the war against us," said a high-ranking Ukrainian official.
Ukraine faces a tough choice
"To close the gap, Ukraine faces a tough choice. One way would be to lower the mobilization age from 25 to 18 years. This idea would be very unpopular among the nation and not all commanders of the Armed Forces of Ukraine like it," the article states.
A senior American official suggests that Ukraine's only chance to combat the "bad" deal of Trump is to mobilize its youth.
Even officials close to Zelensky acknowledge that Ukraine will have to expand its mobilization if it wants to withstand the fight.
Officially, the government prioritizes military efforts above all else. Unofficially, it maintains a more complex balance: aligning immediate needs with those of an economy under pressure. Currently, the government protects slightly less than 1 million reserved workers from conscription. However, the controversial nature of policies that take into account factors like tax revenues demonstrates that some employees of a well-known perfume chain are reserved, while many drone manufacturers are not.
"Zelensky may have to take more risks with his economy if he wants to have a country at all," says a senior European official in comments to the publication.
The Economist suggests that if the war continues and Russia continues to increase its army size as before, mobilization in Ukraine will have to become even stricter. Such a prospect risks opening divisions in an already exhausted country, the authors of the article believe.
Earlier, it was reported that Ukraine launched a contract for volunteers aged 18–24.
Citizens aged 18 to 24 who sign a one-year contract with the army will receive, among other things, one million hryvnias for a year of service.