"I don't think we should mobilize from the age of 18": Zelenskyy explained why the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine offered young people the "18-24" contract
Kyiv • UNN
Zelenskyy stated the difficulties with mobilization in Ukraine but emphasized the possibility of contract service from the age of 18. This was done as a counterargument to allies regarding sanctions against Russia.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stated that Ukraine has the same difficulties with mobilization as any other country at war. However, mobilization under contract from the age of 18 was envisaged as one of the counterarguments to Ukraine's allies who refuse to impose sanctions against the Russian Federation, allegedly because Ukraine does not mobilize 18-year-olds. This was reported by Zelenskyy during an interview with the Hungarian publication ValaszOnline, reports UNN.
Details
When asked whether Ukraine has difficulties with mobilization and whether the recruitment of young people aged 18-24, which began in February, is progressing as expected, Zelenskyy noted that mobilization is a necessary process during the war, which cannot but cause difficulties.
Mobilization is a problem in every war. Ukraine is no exception, because we want the war to end. People are tired. We can mobilize 27,000 people a month, and the Russians can mobilize 40-50,000, because their losses are greater. Mobilization is possible here because of martial law. No one else has experience in how to stop Putin. We stopped him
He also explained that there is no mobilization from the age of 18 as such, Ukraine offers young people service under contract.
We did not mobilize 18-24-year-olds, but offered them a one-year contract. I have never said this, but if you ask me, I will tell you what I think, because this is a sensitive topic: I do not think that we should mobilize from the age of 18, as the leaders of other countries thought. Operation "Spider" showed: the important thing is not the number of people, but weapons and technology. And money, and pressure
He added that, among other things, sanctions pressure should be directed at the money that Russians use to finance the war.
Western partners list the reasons why they did not dare to impose sanctions, because Ukraine did not mobilize from the age of 18. Honestly: we gave 18-24-year-old young people the opportunity to show that they can also serve if our partners want it. This is exactly what we have now provided them with, in accordance with our legislation. Meanwhile, thousands of people are fighting on the front lines