In the upcoming days, the Office of the President of Ukraine plans to propose changes to legislation and presidential decrees concerning the conscription of men aged 18 to 25 years. This information was reported by Kontrakty.UA.
This was stated in a comment to TSN.ua by advisor to the Department of National Security and Defense of the Office of the President Mykola Shchur.
"There will be a comprehensive set of changes to both legislation and presidential decrees. Various levels of amendments to the documents are anticipated. I believe a presentation will take place in the coming days. Technical details are currently being finalized, and some aspects may still change. A working group has been formed, consisting of representatives from the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff, and civil organizations. A concept has been developed," the Office of the President informed us.
Officials do not rule out that the proposals will be considered at the Supreme Commander’s Headquarters.
The Office of the President emphasizes that this concerns voluntary contracts for men aged 18 to 25 who are not subject to mobilization and whom they wish to encourage, including financially.
In turn, former spokesperson for the General Staff of the Armed Forces, military expert Vladyslav Seleznov, states that it is essential to consider the differences in physical endurance between 18-year-olds, 19-year-olds, and 20-year-olds compared to, for example, those who are 23 and 25.
"I think this factor remains crucial. Secondly, under national legislation, citizens aged 18 and older can currently conclude contracts on a voluntary basis and be conscripted into the Ukrainian military," Seleznov notes.
He adds: "The case related to certain incentives and 'bonuses' for this category of Ukrainian citizens is a positive development. The search for such options to stimulate the conscription of citizens aged 18 to 25 is a great initiative. Any opportunities aimed at strengthening through the intensification of mobilization processes are beneficial to us. And, of course, young men aged 18 to 25 are more effective and skilled on the battlefield under any conditions than our compatriots aged 50 and above."
When asked whether there will be sufficient armament for this essentially new military force, Seleznov responds: "We often hear from those on the battlefield that there is a shortage of personnel. The supply of military equipment and armaments from our overseas partners allows us to confidently navigate the first half of 2025. Supplies are steady and have not been halted. The provision of weapons and ammunition is ongoing, as President Zelensky mentioned during the forum in Davos. The issue of trained and motivated soldiers remains relevant. It is not the walls that defend the territory, but the personnel. There may be benefits from this, as it involves finding certain compromises and alternatives."
According to Seleznov, military history from various times shows that there were instances during World War II when 18-year-olds went to fight.
"For example, the Vietnam War lasted 15 years. Young men aged 18 and older were also participants. The question here is not so much about age as it is about proper preparation. And we have work to do in this area — with the personnel of training centers, polygons, and others."
Recall that recently, President Volodymyr Zelensky, while speaking with Western journalists, commented on lowering the conscription age and the forced mobilization of 18 to 25-year-olds as follows: "If there are people aged 25 and older without weapons, then why mobilize even younger individuals — to have even more people without weapons? There should be logic and fairness," the head of state told Western journalists.
Earlier, it was reported that Zelensky in Davos responded to whether the conscription age would be lowered to 18.