White House Urges Ukraine to Enlist 18-Year-Olds Amid Struggle to Sustain Troop Levels Against Russia"

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The Biden administration is urging Ukraine to draft more troops and lower the mobilization age to 18 from the current 25. This push comes as Ukraine faces a manpower shortage in its nearly three-year-old war with Russia. Despite over $56 billion in U.S. security assistance, Ukraine struggles to replace battlefield losses and keep pace with Russia's growing military.

White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett emphasized that "manpower is the most vital need" for Ukraine, and the U.S. is ready to ramp up training if Ukraine takes steps to fill its ranks. The Ukrainians estimate they need about 160,000 additional troops, but the U.S. believes more may be necessary.

European allies also stress that Ukraine's lack of troop depth could soon make it untenable to operate in Russia’s Kursk border region, especially with the arrival of thousands of North Korean troops aiding Moscow. President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming administration adds uncertainty about continued U.S. military support.

Ukraine has taken steps to broaden the pool of draft-eligible men, including lowering the draft age from 27 to 25 and creating an online registry for recruits. However, these efforts have only added about 50,000 troops, far short of what is needed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has no plans to lower the mobilization age further, citing equipment shortages and concerns about the economic impact of drafting more young adults.

The Biden administration believes that optimizing Ukraine's current force by addressing desertion and absenteeism could also help. The situation remains complex, with no easy answers to Ukraine’s manpower shortage.

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